In Photos: Sunscreens

This article introduces our new category called IN PHOTOS. Since we’re still in our sunscreen series, we decided to pay homage and post some photos related to sunscreen and its importance. Let’s start out light and take a look at some photos of celebrities who have taken the spray tan look too far.

SPRAY TANNING GONE WRONG

Although spray tanning in general is a much better option than sun tanning, sometimes people can go overboard. Whether it’s too deep of a tan or the wrong color, the following celebrities had obvious problems getting a natural glow.

Here’s Christina Aguilera with a face and neck about 3 shades darker than the rest of her body.  Whether it’s due to makeup or a spray tan mishap, no one gets that tan naturally.

Valentino is one of many Italian fashion designers that love to have a permanent tan, no matter how it is achieved.

Although the men of Jersey Shore are famous for saying GTL, Snooki certainly agrees with at least one of the words to the motto.

Perhaps the most famous of all spray-tanned celebrities, George Hamilton is probably more well-known for his skin color than his acting.

This woman is now the poster child for sunscreen.  Most people will probably agree that her obsession is too extreme.

We’re not even sure why she’s applying sunscreen.  Kind of futile, no?

At least we know Annalynne McCord was protecting her eyes with sunglasses…

Extreme Sunburns

So now let’s get a little more serious.  We have all gotten at least one sunburn in our life.  But data shows that just one severe sunburn doubles your risk for skin cancer.  Unfortunately, all four people shown below have already achieved this scary statistic.

This person will not be looking so happy once his skin begins to blister and peel.  A classic photo of a second degree burn.

She is another person who will be in a lot of pain for a couple weeks while her skin attempts to heal.  Do not place ice directly on a wound like this – it will further damage the skin.  Instead, cool compresses can be used to alleviate pain.

Never break blisters; it can lead to infection and scarring.  When the blisters eventually break on their own, keep the areas moist with antibiotic ointment.

Peeling is a very common consequence of sunburns.  Although you may be tempted to peel the flakes off, do not do it.  It can cause discoloration and permanent white spots.

Sun Damage

UV rays destroy collagen and elastin.  The breakdown of these protein fibers causes skin to sag and wrinkle.  Maybe this woman should have worn some sunscreen…

This 69 year-old truck driver has worked 28 years in the field.  Notice the asymmetrical sun damage.  He has aged much faster on his left side, the driver’s side.

A famous photo of a woman who had spent years sitting next to a window.  Again, she has significant sun damage on the side exposed to the window, and therefore, sun.

A precautionary tale of “silent sun damage”.  Although her skin looks healthy in the regular photograph, a photo showing UV damage underneath the skin exposes her skin’s true condition.

Just Say No

These awful trends are a skin’s worst nightmare.  From tanning beds to deliberate burns, the following photos show just how terribly we can destroy our skin.

Sunburn tattoos are made by placing stickers, clothing with cutouts, or some other coverage and then exposing your skin to the sun.  The longer you are exposed, the bigger the contrast of the tattoo is.

Some companies are actually promoting UVA-only tanning beds as “safer” than UVB tanning beds because they don’t cause as many sunburns.  If you still believe this, please take another look at the Sun Damage section of this article.  This photo is especially bad because the girl has her eyes open as well!

People sometimes use suntan oil to get a tan at a faster rate.  Some, like this one, actually have iodine added to it to speed up the process even more.

Thankfully, tanning reflector boards have fallen out of style, even with Paulie’s attempt to bring it back.

Finally, let’s end on a light note.  Remember, always wear sunscreen, avoid sunburns, and treat your skin with respect!

Share this