People generally believe that an indoor tan helps the body make all the vitamin D that it requires. Many believe that tanning beds that use artificial ultraviolet rays to darken the skin are safe.
Millions of Americans have been using tanning beds for indoor tan. They believe that tanning indoors is beneficial for their bodies. But getting a tan can prove to be very dangerous for the body and can cause skin cancer. It can prove to be deadly for young people. Here are specific facts that may take you by surprise.
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Tanning Beds Are Not Safer Than The Sun
These tanning beds emit UV rays that give the skin a dark color and damage it. The UVB rays, also known as the shortwaves, penetrate the skin’s topmost layer, which causes redness and burning of the skin. The UVA rays, also known as long waves, penetrate even deeper down the skin layer. Tanning beds use these artificial UV rays, which cause most skin cancer, including Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, and Melanoma. It also results in premature skin aging.
Tanning Indoors Makes The Skin Age Quickly
People who use tanning beds have wrinkles, age spots, and loose skin. This is much more than the people who never use this equipment. The use of tanning beds also developed a leather skin problem.
It Is A Myth That Tanning Beds Give A Base Tan
A suntan is as dangerous as sunburn. People who get an artificial tan without sunburn have higher risks of getting skin cancer. This is because of significant exposure to UV rays.
Tanning Beds Can Cause Serious Injuries
Across the United States, indoor tanning has caused burns, loss of consciousness, and severe eye injuries, which can lead you to end up in a hospital emergency room.
Getting A Base Tan Cannot Prevent Sunburn
Some believe that getting tanned using a tanning bed can prevent you from sunburn, but this is not true. The tan damages the DNA of the skin, and the chances of getting skin cancer increase manifold. You can still burn your skin even after getting a base tan.
Tanning Beds Don’t Provide Enough Vitamin D
This is a myth that the body gets a lot of vitamin D while using a tanning bed. The tanning bed bulbs emit UVA lights, while the body needs UVB light to make Vitamin D.
Becoming Addicted To Tanning Is A Danger
The use of tanning beds can be addictive. About 20% of people who use these beds show a sign of addiction. They start feeling depressed if they don’t use these beds regularly.
Tanning Also Makes Stretch Marks Visible
Since the color of the skin changes, it makes the stretch marks visible.
Tanning Salons Give Misleading Information
The staff employed at the tanning salons generally do not tell about the risks of using a tanning bed. They generally declare it to be safe and list numerous benefits that are associated with tanning beds.
Quitting Indoor Tanning Increases Your Lifespan
By choosing not to use tanning beds, you can reduce the risk of getting any form of skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that if people younger than 18 years of age never use a tanning bed, you can prevent about 6,800 deaths from Melanoma.
Not only does it account for as many as four laccases of skin cancer in the United States each year, but it also changes your skin texture, increases wrinkles and age spots. There are many healthy options available for a natural-looking tan.
Use A Self-Tanner
There are many self-tanner options available in the market. You can use a self-tanner that suits your skin type and needs. The self-tanner helps you look tanned without even increasing the risk of skin cancer or early wrinkles. It would help if you always used sunscreen with high SPF because the self-tanner cannot protect your skin from the sun.
Spray Tan
Spray tan uses an airbrush to paint on a tan, and this is a hassle-free method that lasts for weeks.
Bronzer
A bronzer, although it is the least effective way of getting a tan, can be applied for the last-minute effect.
Tanning Beds Are Particularly Dangerous For Teens
People using tanning beds for about 50 hours, ten years, or 100 sessions regularly have a twofold higher risk of developing skin cancer. Young people and teens are more vulnerable to these dangers. Before the age of 35, the chances of developing skin cancer increase by 75%. This is very common between the age group of 15 to 29 years. Chances of developing Basal cell carcinoma are much higher in young females than men. Melanoma spreads to other parts of the body through lymph nodes, and the survival rate is just 15%.
Conclusion
It is never too late to start protecting your skin from the deadly effects of tanning beds. The body begins to repair the damage caused by UV rays as soon as you stop exposing the skin to artificial light. There is no such thing as safe tanning. People of all ages must avoid indoor tanning.
It would be best if you did not swap indoor tanning for tanning outdoors and always wear protective clothing and sunscreen to reduce skin risks. Tanning beds are not a safe alternative to sunlight because they emit three times more UV rays than the sun. You must always prefer the natural route because you increase the risk of skin cancer every time you tan. Stay safe and stay healthy!
