Tan-through swimwear might prevent tan lines but it won't stop sunburn

A new generation of swimsuits is promising to do away with tan lines. Photo: AFP

A new generation of swimwear is promising an even tan with no unwanted lines or marks.

On social networks, this revolutionary breakthrough can be found under the hashtag #tanthroughswimwear, which already has over 47 million views.

But in spite of this success, it's important to keep in mind usual recommendations for staying safe in the sun.

Previously, unless you spend all summer shut away or are a fervent nudist, there was little or no chance of getting a full, even tan.

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Microscopic holes

Recent swimwear innovations have focused on eco-responsibility, menstruation and inclusivity.

Tanning brands didn't seem to be at the forefront of most people's minds, and yet you only have to look at the reviews and comments posted on social media to realise that these swimsuits are actually highly in demand.

The idea is simple: develop a specific fabric that lets in light, and therefore some of the sun's rays, so that you can tan despite wearing the said garment – a considerable novelty.

This is the challenge successfully met by Kiniki and True Tone Swimwear, two of the world's leading swimwear specialists, who have developed a fabric with thousands of microscopic holes.

"Our patented Tan Through swimwear is a unique advancement in fabric technology that helps the wearer achieve an all over suntan and minimise tan lines by letting the sun's UV tanning rays to pass through the swimwear fabric," explains Kiniki on its e-store.

The second brand, helmed by the designer Isabella Biscarini, states: "True Tone Swim fabric is a high end tan-through bikini that was scientifically developed to still be soft, stretchy and flattering. It filters out the majority of UV-B rays while letting in Tanning UV-A Rays."

And that's an important detail, because while these swimsuits may indeed boast practicality and innovation, they also require special care when it comes to sun protection.

Protecting yourself from UV rays

By allowing certain ultraviolet rays to pass through them, these new-generation swimsuits expose the wearer to sunburn and, more generally, to the harmful effects of prolonged sun exposure.

According to France's Institut National Du Cancer (INCa), exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, whether from the sun or artificial sources (UV booths), is the leading cause of skin cancer.

And while UVB rays are a thousand times more powerful than UVAs, the INCa points out that the latter "penetrate deep into the skin and are responsible for its aging".

It adds: "We now know that both UVA and UVB rays increase the risk of skin cancer".

For all these reasons, people should not be encouraged to avoid these swimsuits, but to apply appropriate protection to the whole body before stepping out in any such models.

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On its e-commerce platform, the True Tone Swimwear brand states that "wearing this unique fabric is parallel to wearing SPF 8-15".

But that's not enough for optimal protection.

So concurs Dr Marisa Garshick, a dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York, who told Health magazine that "by allowing sun exposure to penetrate, mesh and see-through clothing leaves the area susceptible to sunburn and the potential for sun damage".

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that protecting yourself from excessive exposure to UV radiation should involve applying "broad-spectrum sunscreen on skin areas that cannot be covered by clothes" or, in this case, that let these rays through.

Other measures include seeking shade, limiting exposure time and, wherever possible, covering up with appropriate clothing. – AFP Relaxnews