In the early 2000s, indoor tanning began taking off as one of the hottest skin treatments in the country. While fans of tanning believe that it will give them a healthy glow, this couldn’t be further from the truth. As several years-worth of research reveals, tanning beds are incredibly dangerous.
The Dangers of Tanning Beds
While tanning has been a popular trend for several years, indoor tanning is particularly dangerous to users. Emitting UV rays similar to that of the sun, getting into a tanning bed means taking a calculated risk with your skin and your life. Read on to learn about the dangers of tanning beds.
Tanning Beds Are Carcinogenic
Cancer is always on the table when it comes to tanning beds. According to The World Health Organization, UV tanning beds are proven to be carcinogenic to humans. Recent research shows that tanning bed lamps and the UV light rays they give off can trigger the growth of cancer cells. Ultimately, tanning beds are a danger to those who use them as they heighten your exposure to UV radiation.
In addition to causing skin cancer, tanning beds can also negatively affect the eyes. Just as we’re discouraged from looking directly into the sun, the same is true for tanning bed lamps. Without proper protective eye gear, tanning beds put you at risk for eye cancer, macular degeneration, and cataracts.
You’ll Harm Your Skin
There’s no way around it: tanning beds are simply unhealthy for the skin. If you want to avoid a future filled with dermatology medical billing invoices, it’s best to steer clear of tanning beds. All the UVB rays that tanning beds emit directly affect the skin. Intense exposure to these rays can cause the skin to age prematurely. Regular clients of tanning beds will often find their skin is more prone to wrinkles and age spots, thanks to the UV rays.
In addition to putting your skin on the fast track with aging, tanning can trigger warts. This is the case for anyone with HPV as they are at risk for warts and even cancer.
You May Experience Injuries
In addition to exposing you to the dangers of cancer or a similar skin condition, tanning can also harm you in other ways. Short-term injuries aren’t uncommon in the tanning room. These injuries include burns, eye damage, and infections. As tanning beds rely on the heat of the rays to change your skin tone, this makes them especially dangerous. While beds are on a timer to help avoid any heat-related injuries, these timers on the beds can malfunction, leading to severe burns and other damage.
Another short-term injury to watch out for in a tanning bed is eye damage. As UV rays are harmful to the human eye, wearing broken goggles when tanning can cause the rays to breakthrough. Likewise, any broken pieces from the goggle can potentially puncture you in the eye. Avoiding illness also may prove difficult in a tanning bed. If the equipment isn’t sanitized correctly, the machines become a hotbed for germs, infections, and viruses.
You’ll Suppress Your Immune System
Immunity suppression is yet another risk of tanning. In this day and age, we need our immune systems to be as strong as possible. While following a healthy diet will help you build a better immune system, choosing to use a tanning bed will work to suppress it. If you want to protect yourself from viruses and other illnesses, consider avoiding the tanning bed for good.
While the rays from the tanning bed will help create an artificial “glow”, they may also work to lower your body’s natural illness-fighting defenses. With your skin unable to protect you, you’ll be more vulnerable to sickness, which is a contributing factor for potential cancers as well.
Though tans are temporary, the dangers they pose are not. If you’d prefer to limit your risk of cancer and injury, while improving your immunity levels, it’s best to steer clear of the tanning salon. Keep this information in mind as you consider alternative beauty treatments to get that healthy glow.