Put down that beer; it's not a tanning lotion

UC cosmetic science expert joins WVXU's Cincinnati Edition

The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition to discuss what's fact and what's myth when it comes to sunscreen use, different kinds of sunscreen and a social media recommendation to use beer on your skin to help get a tan.

"There’s no scientific evidence that putting beer on your skin will help you develop a tan," said Dobos, a cosmetic chemist and adjunct instructor in UC's Cosmetic Science Program in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. "The only thing I think it’s scientifically proven to do is to make your skin sticky and attract bugs."

Dobos noted even if this myth were true, purposefully aiming to get a tan should not be a goal.

"If you’re not using sunscreen to protect your skin and you’re trying to get a tan, what I would say is that tanning is your skin trying to protect itself," she said. "So you've already done damage when you’re developing a tan. Your skin is producing more melanin trying to protect the DNA in your cells from future sun damage. So it’s really important if you’re going to be out in the sun for a prolonged period of time to wear sunscreen." 

Listen to the Cincinnati Edition segment.

Featured photo a top of a person applying sunscreen. Photo/simonkr/iStock.

Related Stories

8236 Results
4

Leader of Fetal Surgery to Deliver Lectures at UC

January 31, 2003

An internationally recognized authority on fetal surgery will lecture at the UC Medical Center, representing the first of a series of lectures on fetal surgery presented by the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Ob/Gyn).

7

Inaugural Paul B. Hammond Award Goes To NIEHS Director

February 7, 2003

In a ceremony held Jan. 14, 2003, Kenneth Olden, PhD, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), received the inaugural Paul B. Hammond award.