subject: Tanning Beds - Are They Worth The Risk? [print this page] Despite knowing the potential danger that tanning beds can have, millions of people still continue to head to their local tanning salon. Being able to tan and darken your skin without having to go outside all year round has truly intrigued people, but is it worth the risk? Ultimately, there are only two benefits of going to a tanning bed - ability to darken your skin inside and producing melanin, which protects the skin from ultraviolet rays. While tanning beds do provide you with these few benefits, the risks and dangers tend to far outweigh them.
Indoor Tanning Bed Risks
Every year more than one million people are diagnosed with skin cancer in the United States. Despite this fact, hundreds of thousands of people routinely visit tanning salons. Over time the effects of too much UVA exposure can lead to eye damage, immune system changes, cataracts, wrinkles and premature aging of the skin, and skin cancers.
Not only do you expose yourself to a greater risk of developing skin cancer, but tanning can also cause:
*Premature aging
*Immune suppression
*Eye damage
*Allergic reactions
Those who support tanning sometimes argue that tanning beds are less dangerous than sun tanning because the intensity of UV radiation and time spent tanning can be controlled. The reality is that there is no evidence to support these claims.
You are no safer in a tanning bed than you are outside. In fact, sun lamps and tanning beds may potentially be more dangerous than the sun because they can be used at the same high intensity every day of the year. Unlike tanning beds, the sun's intensity varies with the time of day, the season and cloud coverage.
Protect Your Skin if you do Tan
Many of us know the importance of using a sunscreen to help prevent damaging rays from penetrating our skin. Using the proper SPF for your skin type and circumstances may lower your risk of skin cancer, however sunscreens will not undo damage that has already been done to your skin. Those who seek their tans from tanning salons should be aware of recent research classifying tanning booths as a known carcinogen and keep these points in mind:
*Those who burn easily or never tan in the sun should not use tanning salons
*Check with your pharmacist for possible drug interactions
*UV radiation can aggravate cold sores in people who are prone to them
*Always use the protective goggles which should be available at the tanning salon. Your eyes can be severely burned by the intense UV rays emitted by the light source.
Remember, there are other ways to achieve a healthy glow, including sunless tanners. And in the long run, the benefits of a lifetime of healthy skin far outweigh the short term results achieved through tanning. If you detect unusual moles, spots or changes in your skin, or if your skin easily bleeds, make an appointment with your dermatologist in Boynton, FL. Changes in your skin may be a sign of skin cancer. With early detection and avoiding tanning beds, skin cancers have a high cure rate and response to treatment.
