Actually, tanning is the skin's way of protecting itself from the sun's harmful rays. Even though a suntan may look nice and make one feel good, no medical research suggests that a suntan improves health. Experts have determined that casual exposure to sunlight is adequate to satisfy vitamin D requirements. A normal diet and foods that are fortified with vitamin D provide the needed amount. The use of sunscreen does not affect the development of a deficiency of vitamin D. Staying out of the sun is a smart thing to do.
Black people have a much lower incidence of skin cancer.
Remember, children are at a greater risk to sun exposure because the outer layer of skin is thinner and they have more skin relative to their body mass. Therefore, a sunburn will cover more area and be more harmful. As a child-care provider or parent, established sun safety guidelines will help protect children against overexposure to the sun. Avoid being in the sun between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. This doesn't mean you have to keep children indoors.