Bryan Johnson explains that a tan is your skin's damage response to UV exposure, not a sign of health. While sunlight helps with vitamin D and mood, it degrades collagen and elastin, causing wrinkles and raising cancer risk. The right amount of sun exposure depends on your skin color, location, and season.
People fervently want me to get a tan because they think that's a sign of good health. Actually, a tan is a sign that your skin has been damaged. The sun, of course, is good for many reasons. It's also bad. It's good because it helps increase vitamin D. It's also good for mood and your circadian rhythm in helping in sleep. It's bad because the sun can damage collagen and elastin, leading to sagging skin and wrinkles. It's also bad because it can lead to cancer. Now, how much sun is right for you depends upon your skin color, latitude, time of year. But it's not the case that the sun is always good. It's nuanced to make sure you know it's right.
