Even a mild and polar vortex-free winter can’t take away from the joy of the first spring-like day. 5 degrees Celsius in the shining sun is enough to plaster a childlike grin from ear to ear and make you want to ditch that unshapely parka in favour of a bikini to soak it all in. Okay, maybe the bikini is a bit much, but if you’re one of the winter-crazed/cabin-fevered Canadians it’s for sure shorts and t-shirt weather. (It may not be comfortable, but it’s really a matter of principle in showing winter who’s boss).

But, after months of being buried beneath layer upon layer of clothes, and boots, and scarves, our skin has become more vulnerable to the effects of the sun. Maybe you’ve got big plans for spring break or you simply want to break out of winter to a beach destination, but if sun is on your itinerary, it’s important to make sure you’re protected now more than any other time of the year.

For some who feel like a vampire being released from a slumber in darkness and thrust into the blinding light, it might be helpful to have a head start.

Tanning before travelling to a sunny destination was widely believed to help build up your sun tolerance and prevent sunburns, so if you’re headed for the stronger equator sun, should you first hit the beds?

The answer, as it is for most health/nutritional questions is, it depends.

The short answer is no, visiting tanning beds does not prevent a sunburn. BUT they do help your skin to build up its natural defences that make burning a lower risk.

The problem is that most tanning beds provide mainly UVA light (and 10-15% more than that of the strongest midday summer sun) and a very small portion (if any) is UVB. The other problem is that while each variety of UV light will give you a visible tan, the UVA tan from most tanning beds actually provides you with a false sense of security.

UVB is the one that you want because it helps to not only bring the melanin to the surface of the skin to naturally filter the UV rays of the sun, but UVB is also critical in stimulating a protein in your skin to kick start the vitamin D conversion process. Remember that adequate vitamin D levels, while integral in optimal health are also important in supporting the skin in protecting against sun burns. It’s like some a cosmic alignment in that the exposure to the sun is also helpful in protecting against its negative effects.

If you’re fair skinned and high risk for burning, choosing a tanning salon with beds that also produce UVB rays may help your skin as long as that’s not your only means of sun protection. Just like you’re able to be out in the sun longer once you’ve achieved a base tan, you’re still at risk for burning if you’re out all day long. You want to make sure you start slowly, with less intense sessions and avoid the tanning lotions. They’re packed with many synthetic chemicals that further the fake coloured false sense of security. Cream in post session with a hydrating douse of coconut oil to do the trick.

At the end of the day you don’t want to burn. Yes, consistent exposure to UV rays in close proximity of a bed is highly correlated to damaging the DNA of your skin. But, the same kind of risk and damage also occurs with a burn from the sun. So, as long as you’re not frequenting the tanning salons on the regular, and you’re also utilizing sunblock and common sense with the time you spend outdoors, it’s no sweat. The sun offers so many healing properties you never want to avoid it entirely. If you’re headed down south, do me a favour and bring some sun back for the rest of us!