Harmful Effects Of Tanning Booths

Learn how tanning beds work, and the relationship between tanning beds and cancer

When we think about tanning beds we immediately envision golden tans and beautiful bodies, but you need to know the harmful effects of tanning booths. How tanning beds work is by emulating the suns rays, thus tanning beds and cancer can go hand in hand.

If you look beyond the advertising, to the proven dangers of tanning beds, you may not find tanning beds so appealing anymore. Tanning bed ads are often somewhat misleading, portraying the glamour and the appeal of having a tan, as well as health benefits such as Vitamin C & D. In truth, indoor tanning is as risky and dangerous to your health, as outdoor tanning.

Studies over the last decade have lead health care professionals and scientists to change their opinion on the safety of tanning booths. In the past it was believed that getting a tan in a tanning bed was much safer than tanning in the sun. This has proven incorrect.

Studies have shown that both tanning beds and the sun can be hazardous to your health, and both can cause skin cancer. Both the sun and tanning beds release high levels of UV rays. With over one million Americans visiting a tanning salon each day, health care professional expect a large increase in skin cancer.

High exposure to UV rays can lead to premature aging, wrinkles, sunburn, dry itchy skin, eye damage, and damage to the immune system. But even work over exposure to UV rays can cause skin cancer.

There are two types of UV rays, UVB which causes sunburn, and UVA which penetrates into the deeper skin layers, and is directly responsible for skin cancer.

We have all aware of the dangers of UVB rays, but not everyone is aware of the dangers of UVA rays.

The bulbs in tanning beds and tanning lamps emit 40% less UVB rays than the sun, so you are less likely to burn in a tanning bed. Because you aren’t burning, you tend to think you’re not doing any damage to the skin. This thought process is totally wrong.

UVA rays do not burn but can lead to skin cancer, and are responsible for the most serious type of skin cancer, malignant melanoma. You do not need to have sunburn to have been exposed to damaging levels of radiation.

An article by the Skin Cancer Foundation stated that it only takes ten indoor sessions to develop precancerous DNA damage. The American Journal of Medicine says that people with blue or green eyes, blonde or red hair, and fair skin are at the greatest risk for skin cancer. Yet no precautions are taken.

Skin cancer can take 10 years to show itself, so because of the delayed consequences, we tend to think it won’t happen to us. By the time a problem occurs, it’s years later and too late.

Even if you are lucky enough to avoid skin cancer, you are likely to develop premature skin aging, eye burns, photosensitivity, cataracts, and blood vessel damage.

I know, many of figure we’ll take our chance because life without a tan just isn’t life. And that’s okay, just tan smart! Whether you are tanning indoors or outdoors, take the appropriate precautions by using sunscreen and limiting exposure. Be smart and look good too!

dangers of tanning beds