Tanning Bed Dangers

While it’s true they may be able to give you a golden, year-round tan, there are still some tanning bed dangers that everyone should be aware of. Armed with the knowledge you need to protect your precious skin, you’ll be able to make an informed decision the next time you decide to use a tanning bed.

Repeated exposure to ultraviolet rays, regardless of their source, has been shown to raise the risk of malignant melanoma, which is the deadliest type of skin cancer as it may spread easily to other parts of the body via the blood stream or lymphatic system. The lamps used in tanning beds emit two types of radiation, similar in the way the sun does; shorter ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, and the longer rays, ultraviolet A (UVA).

Short term usage of tanning beds may cause minor, irritating side effects such as dry, flaking, or itchy skin, but long-term usage may actually be as dangerous as sunbathing without some type of protection. Excessive exposure to UV rays may cause wrinkling, premature aging or a process referred to as photoaging, which is when the skin is damaged and aged due to intense or chronic exposure to the sun.

There are also a great number of emergency room visits to hospitals all around the world each and every year directly related to tanning bed use and overexposure. Repeated UV exposure may also cause damage to the corneas, cosmetic or drug induced sensitivity, as well as an increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer.

7 Tips for Protecting Yourself Against the Most Common Tanning Bed Dangers:

• Be sure to protect your eyes with a snugly fitted pair of goggles that aren’t cracked or broken.
• Begin tanning very slowly, using short exposure times, gradually increasing them over time.
• Be sure to never allow your skin to burn as this may increase your chances of developing melanoma.
• Remember that it may take anywhere from six to 48 hours for a sunburn to appear, so be sure to realize that you may not notice a burn developing until it’s too late.
• Always precisely follow the tanning bed manufacturer’s time limits for your particular skin type.
• Once you’ve developed the color you’re trying to achieve, it’s recommended never to tan more often than once per week, and depending upon your skin type, it may be possible to maintain the tan with only one session every few weeks or so.
• If you never tan or sunburn easily, the chances are very great that you will burn using a tanning bed just as you would while in the sun.

There are a few other tanning bed dangers to be aware of, such as if you have a family history of melanoma, or if you are taking certain medications that may react adversely to ultraviolet rays, or even if you are prone to frequent cold sores. In any of these circumstances it’s usually recommended to avoid overexposure to ultraviolet rays to reduce the chance of harmful health risks or side effects.