Weigh up the pros and cons
Tanning is the darkening of the skin’s tone as an effect of the exposure to ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun or a sun bed. The skin produces a darker pigment when exposed to these elements therefore producing the slightly toasty or brown color of a tan. Most people believe in the popular misconception of a “healthy tan,” when in reality, no such thing actually exists. Tanning basically occurs as the skin’s reaction to damage from extreme exposure to UV radiation and is the skin’s natural response in an attempt to protect itself from any more damage. There are several ways to get a tan; one can get a tan through the natural way or sun tanning which is done by exposing ones self to the sun, sunless tanning which can be done with the use of tanning lotions, creams, towels, sprays and other materials, and salon tanning which involves the use of tanning beds or tanning booths. Tanning beds are a type of tanning equipment. It comes in two designs with the calm shaped form or capsule as the most common. The other design is actually a tanning booth, also known as a stand up. How do tanning beds give you a tan? For the clam shaped tanning bed, the client is usually required to lie down on a Plexiglas sheet where bright UVA or UVB bulbs shine ultraviolet rays through. The tanning booth works in the same way as the tanning bed, except for the slight change in the equipment’s position. Tanning booths are vertical and will require the client to step into its vertical compartment to get a tan. Both kinds have the same purpose, which is to give the clients a tan by mimicking the effects of the ultraviolet rays from the sun. What effects do tanning beds have on your skin and health? Well, tanning beds can do you some good, aside from giving you that glorious tan you’ve always wanted, it also has some health benefits. However, tanning beds also have a bad side. Most, if not all who belong to the tanning bed industry agree that tanning indoors is much safer when compared to natural sun tanning, which usually requires some exposure to the harmful rays of the sun. Tanning equipment emits light that contains just about 40% less UVB light. Tanning beds provides for the control of exposure time as well as the ratio of UVB rays to UVA rays, allowing you to get to a ‘perfect balance’ between the two. Tanning beds can dramatically decrease your chances of getting burned since this type of tanning equipment was made to filter out majority of the UVB rays. Some of the UV radiation from tanning beds is also beneficial for the body’s production of Vitamin D, an important factor in maintaining a constant level of calcium in the blood and in controlling its absorption. Tanning beds limit the amount of UVB radiation that it produces, therefore allowing you to get more UVA and less of the harmful UVB rays. It is known that UVA rays penetrate deep into the layers of the skin and, according to tanning bed producers, will therefore not cause any damage such as burned skin, premature aging or will cause the skin to thicken. Tanning bed manufacturers even go as far to say that it is not safe to tan. These manufacturers say that avoidance of the sun can increase one’s risks for developing certain types of cancer. There are also some studies that revealed that some exposure to the sun holds back the development of colon, breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. Tanning beds also have another side - a more publicized darker side. Almost all researches that were done on tanning beds link them directly to skin cancer, more specifically the malignant melanoma. There are claims from the tanning industry stating that UVA radiation is safe, however, several medical researches refute these claims. Medical research states that UVA rays destroy the fibers of the skin and damage the skin’s natural elasticity because of its deep penetrating capacity. Some long term effects attributed to UVA rays include wrinkles and premature aging. UVA radiation are also less likely to cause burns, nevertheless, they can still cause the skin’s inner tissue to weaken and can damage the immune system. In fact, it was shown in some studies that exposure to large amounts of UVA radiation can cause an increase in the risk of developing certain cancers. Tanning beds and hives are also connected. Solar urticaria or hives usually develop after only a short exposure to UV radiation. A certain degree of caution should be exercised when using tanning beds. Some people have reported getting diseases from using tanning beds. There are also some dangers from the use of tanning beds during pregnancy. There is some evidence that demonstrates the effect of radiation in breaking down folate and putting early pregnant women at an elevated risk for giving birth to babies with certain types of neural tube defects such as spinal bifida. The two types of UV radiation cause photosensitivity or allergic reactions, blood vessel damage and even eye damage such as conjunctivitis, damage to the retina and infections of the cornea. The Food and Drug Administration or FDA considers tanning beds as a probable health hazard and are encouraging people, together with the Center for Disease Control, to avoid the use of tanning beds and sun lamps. When making decisions about your health, it is usually a great idea to consult your physician to help you identify all the risk factors that should be considered for your individual personal case.
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