Tanning is actually the skin's reaction to protect itself from the sun's harmful rays. Even though a suntan may look nice and make one feel good, there is no medial evidence to suggest that a suntan improves health. Long-term sun exposure and tanning may appear on the skin 20 or 30 years later.
Evidence includes premature skin aging and the risk of skin cancer.
Youth who actively get too much sun today may find that 20 years later they increase their risk of getting skin cancer. Preventive action is important since 80 percent of sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. UVA rays cause pigment in the skin to darken and cause skin aging. UVB rays cause redness, burning and blistering. These rays are most directly linked to skin cancers.