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

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.

Dobos was also recently featured in an Elle Magazine/Yahoo News article discussing why the United States has fewer sunscreen options compared to European countries. Read the story on Yahoo News or Elle.

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