One of the benefits of having tried every ‘crazy’ natural health and beauty trend out there is that you start to become a lot more familiar with your body and its abilities. You start to accumulate a large bank of empirical data on yourself that you can use to find patterns and compare results.
You also start to develop a healthy skepticism towards EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE when they’re peddling some new ‘thing’ you should be doing – you’re able to put things more into perspective. You sit back, listen, go ‘mmm…interesting…now, what’s in it for you if I believe this? And how does this compare to my previous experience with the matter?’.
The first thing you’re likely to see when bouncing around online looking for data on building a solar callus safely is that such a thing DOES NOT EXIST. And silly you for even looking! However! Because I had the experience of being a ‘normal’ child in Southern Portugal, who went to the beach (fairly) regularly in summer, and then the experience of spending years and years avoiding the sun for fear of having my collagen stretched out of existence by 30 – I didn’t even need to spend 2 seconds pondering this one.
When I was a kid I looked like a gypsy in summer. I have pictures of myself almost cinnamon brown all over. And we didn’t even spend that many days at the beach overall, but my genetics is from the area, so my whole family tans easily.
Now, a few years ago I started noticing that certain parts of my body could no longer go brown (like my chest). If I would get a bit of sun without protection – 5 minutes here and there – it would go reddish and stay like that for the rest of the summer.
Even before I started to learn about the crucial health benefits of sunlight and the importance of a solar callus, I knew enough about melanin production to assume this was the result of all these years of hiding from sunlight. My body had just stopped reacting to sunlight in that area, because it was no longer needed. It still tans quickly in places like my feet and lower arms/hands – all those places that are more exposed in summer and where I’m more likely to skip sunscreen.
Your body, my body, everyone’s adapts to its environment – that’s its jam! That’s why we’re all still here as a species. That’s why we’re so diverse as a species. It’s a beautiful thing! You can build up a sun tolerance in a healthy way. Now, let’s get on with the practicals!
What is a solar callus
Like the name (sort of) implies, a solar callus is basically the body’s adaptation to exposure to sunlight, typically evidenced by the response tan developed by gradual exposure to full-spectrum sunlight. This is achieved – optimally – by slowly increasing the doses of sunlight, in a regular way, so as to be able to reap the health benefits of the sun, without burning.
I went into more depth about the health benefits of sunlight in my previous post, but basically we’re stimulating melanin and vitamin D production, while optimizing many other biochemical and biophysical pathways in the body for longevity, as well as preventing and curing a wide-range of chronic and infectious diseases. (+) A solar callus includes a protective tan response, so as to allow the body to fully benefit from the life-giving sunlight, in all its spectrum.
A healthy tan basically enables you to assimilate UV light more effectively, while protecting you from the possible damages of UV radiation!
Basic science behind progressive tanning
The body tans by producing melanin in response to UV radiation (mostly UVB). The natural tanning response of the body depends on different factors, such as skin type (check yours), the amount and quality of the UV radiation, and other internal factors that may hinder or enhance natural melanin production.
It usually becomes evident 2-4 days after UV exposure and can increase over a period of 8 weeks, depending on the factors mentioned above and specific UV dose protocol.
Tanning is effectively a photoprotective (light-protective) mechanism against DNA damage, by shielding the skin, scattering and absorbing the radiation, and transforming the energy into heat. It also has an antioxidant activity.
UVA and UVB are relatively short wavelengths (UVB is shorter), so the skin needs receptors to be able to pick up this wavelength of light. The melanin produced by the melanocyte cells in the skin help the body absorb these wavelengths, so they don’t cause damage, like burns or cancer. It’s part of the natural solar callus response of the body.
If you’re not in the habit of exposing yourself regularly to sunlight, you need to prepare the skin for sun exposure. Take into account that it’s actually the high-intensity irregular exposure that’s been linked to skin cancers. A less intense but regular exposure, on the other hand, has been found to have a protective effect on health and longevity. Insufficient sun exposure is slowly starting to be recognized as a major public health problem.
How to build a solar callus safely
Leverage the morning & sunset light
This light is heaviest in red and infrared wavelengths, which help your body prepare for the UV exposure needed to produce melanin. It’s very protective and regenerative – it effectively makes your skin more resilient to UV radiation.
You can try to take walks outside early in the morning and/or around sunset, for about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, if this isn’t feasible you can also use therapeutic red and infrared panels or bulbs, before and after being outside in the sun. This ritual also helps set a healthy circadian rhythm, by the way, so you’ll greatly improve your sleep pattern.
Increase your UV (midday) exposure gradually
Start with just 5 minutes a day and increase by a few minutes each day, making sure to seek shade whenever you feel that you’re starting to burn. A healthy tan should never feel uncomfortable! So, listen to your body and don’t try to ‘force’ progress.
Remember the UV index is usually highest between 10 a.m and 2 p.m., but this varies depending on your latitude – the closer you are to the Equator, the less of a buffer zone you have between sunrise and the UV window.
Start building your solar callus in the winter months
The UV index is at its lowest in winter and at its highest in summer.
Depending on your latitude (closer or further away from the Equator) and the time of year, the UV index might range from low (1, 2), to moderate (3-5), to high (6, 7), to very high (8-10) or even extreme (11 and over).
Ideally, you’d start gradually increasing your midday exposure during the low UV range months and gradually build it up before the higher ranges set in. This is especially important for countries with high and very high UV indexes, like in Southern Europe or Australia.
You can check your local UV indexes with a quick Google search or, alternatively, download an app like dminder.
Avoid sunglasses, glasses or contacts
Glass and other physical blockers filter out most of the UVB. This will interfere with your body’s ability to produce melanin – remember this process is triggered through the skin AND the eyes, and you need both! An effective solar callus relies on proper melanin production.
Needless to say, avoid sunscreen as well, for the same reason.
Expose as much area of skin as possible
The more skin you expose, the more melanin you’ll produce overall.
If possible, ground the body during exposure
Grounding is when you have your bare feet in direct contact with the soil – can be grass, wood, stone, sand, etc. If you’re on the beach, even better – the salt water is even richer in free electrons and more conducive. The mitochondria feed on these electrons to support energy production.
Leverage cold therapy
Another great way of boosting your mitochondria (that’s actually analogous to sunlight exposure) is cold water therapy. The most effective way is to immerse yourself in cold water. If this isn’t feasible, cold showers also will do you.
Again, do it gradually – 1 or 2 minutes at first and try to build up towards 5 or 10. A temperature of 50-55 F (approx. 10-13 C) will give you the best results.
Eat a protective, tan-boosting diet
There are many nutrients and micronutrients known to increase the melanin production in the body and boost a healthy tan, so you can effectively eat your sunscreen. Below are your best bets.
Internal sunscreen for a healthy tan
Omega-3 DHA
Omega-3 DHA helps boost melanin formation and ease their transport to the outer layers of the skin. Fish-based Omega-3 is preferable and make sure it’s wild-caught, since there is a massive difference in levels between those and farmed fish. For an optimum level, you want to have it at least three times a week.
Lycopene and beta-carotene
Lycopene and beta-carotene rich foods (red, orange and yellow veggies), consumed with fats for proper absorption (they’re fat-soluble!). A dandy trick is also to consume 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste a day, since it’s a comfortably high dose you can mix with some olive oil. Remember, you need to eat these with some kind of (healthy!) fat.
Astaxanthin
This active is found in many commercial internal sunscreen formulations. It’s actually just a type of carotenoid (see above). It tinges red and you can find it in all kinds of marine life, like salmon, crustaceans and even red algae. It’s also fat-soluble and a powerful antioxidant that boosts skin elasticity and moisture retention.
Vitamin A, copper, tyrosine and saturated fats
Vitamin A, copper, tyrosine and saturated fats also boost skin protection. You can find different combinations of highly bioavailable forms of these in things like red meat, liver, salmon and broths.
Antioxidants
These provide a high dose of polyphenols for added skin protection. Things like berries, citrus (and other vitamin C rich fruits), dark chocolate, and green tea.
Eat a local seasonal diet
Whenever possible, try to eat a local seasonal diet. The fruits and veggies traditionally grown in your area are adapted to that climate (light and temperature conditions) and bring targeted benefits to the people living in it.
At the same time, the mitochondria in your body is likewise tuned into the specific inputs in your environment, such as temperature, type/amount/quality of light, and nutrient availability.
You’re creating a symbiotic match and mutual optimization when you match the foods you’re eating with the environment you’re in – your mitochondria will be happy, running more optimally on all levels (and less confused).
Human beings have evolved over millions of years on this planet with sunlight and our bodies are perfectly equipped to deal with it. Not only that, they’re perfectly tuned into its cycles and fully prepared to adapt to its changing spectrum of light. Both over the course of generations and throughout our lifetime.
You can build a healthy tan, whatever you’re staring with, but it will mean getting past the fear mongering about sunlight and start looking at things more critically. The solar callus response is your body’s way of maximizing and metabolizing the critical UV rays our bodies need to run optimally.
