Tanning Beds—Just Don’t!

This could not be more TRUE!

Telling you that tanning beds are harmful is like saying that smoking is not good for you. Aren’t the health risks obvious? If you still think going to a tanning bed really isn’t all that bad, please hear this: Tanning beds cause damage to your skin, but more specifically it can damage the molecular structure of your cells. Translation: Going to the tanning salon can increase your risk of melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer). But, like smoking, I’m sure hearing that isn’t enough to keep you from these cancer beds.

Your argument may be that the owner or employees at your tanning salon say that no matter what you may hear, tanning is actually a safe thing to do. What a surprise that someone selling you a service is going to do what they can to promote that service. It is doubtful, because you want to believe tanning is safe, that you will do any more investigating than that. And that is where you are making a big mistake. All you have to do is ask a doctor—a dermatologist—to hear how dangerous these tanning salons really are. Make no mistake about it: Tanning beds are hazardous to your health.

Here is another point to stress: There is no safe tan. If you are getting UV exposure, no matter how you are receiving it, it is causing the potential for skin cancer. The American Cancer Society’s “Fry now, pay later” dictum says it all. And although you aren’t literally getting a sunburn when you go to a tanning salon, you are causing damage from the inside out. That is the inherent danger of these beds. You receive a lot of damage that you don’t immediately see.

The primary reason you don't see the damage is these beds use mostly UVA radiation. UVA is the longest ultraviolet ray and goes deep beneath the skin’s surface. UVB radiation is the shorter ray and is the one that gives you a tan or even a sunburn. You may not think of a tan equating to damage, but that is exactly what it is. The color changes you see in your skin after using a tanning bed or just regular sun exposure are your skin’s response to danger. The color of a tan is a sign the skin has been damaged. Of course, getting that tan color is the whole point of getting sun, because we intellectually equate a tan with healthy-looking skin. If you changed your paradigm about what a tan means from something sought after to a possible health risk, maybe this would keep you out of the tanning salon.

There are many articles on the dangers of tanning, whether in a tanning bed or just out in the sun. CLICK HERE to read a good article: Dying to be darker and check the web for more information on the evils of tanning beds.

For more information, see:

• Imitation Sun aka tanning beds—Costly UV
• Skin Cancer ABCs
• My Skin Cancer Story: Please read this!
• Melanoma—the deadliest skin cancer