Does sun exposure heal acne?
If you have acne, you’re probably looking for any way to prevent it: creams, prescriptions, diet — the list goes on. You may also have heard of a free, readily available acne remedy: the sun. Unfortunately, it’s not a remedy you really want to try. Many people believe that lying out in the sun and getting a tan may help treat acne. Since getting a tan can help hide the discoloration acne can cause, and sun exposure sometimes dries up excess oil, it may look like the sun is helping to clear up the skin. However, both of these benefits are temporary — and once they disappear, acne can flare up and even worsen because of the damage caused by ultraviolet light. Breakouts aren’t the only problem, though. Ultraviolet light also creates free radicals, which are associated with cancer and aging, in your skin [source: