Remember that trend from the 2000s where people were going tanning every Tuesday for $5? This is still around, and it’s actually a current trend. Tanning beds are glorified as a quick and convenient way to stay tan year round and achieve a much desired sun-kissed look. However, they have recently been under scrutiny for their extremely damaging effects on the body, including skin cancer, eye damage and premature aging. Despite their popularity, tanning beds are harmful for the human body and pose significant risks, and should therefore be avoided at all costs.

What are tanning beds and how do they work?

Tanning beds, also called solariums, are box-like enclosures that use artificial UV radiation to tan the skin. The UV lamps inside the beds emit UVA and UVB rays (types of ultraviolet radiation) that penetrate the skin, causing a production of melanin which makes the skin appear darker. From lay-down beds and stand-up booths to red light therapy and higher intensity beds, tanning solariums come in many different forms.

Why are tanning beds so unsafe?

Tanning beds are extremely unsafe for the skin due to the high amount of UV radiation they emit. “Solariums emit UV levels up to 6 times stronger than the midday summer sun,” according to the BetterHealth Channel. Because of this, the high amount of UV radiation can cause serious health problems.

What are some of the health issues tanning beds can cause?

• Skin Cancer

The National Library of Medicine reports that recent studies have shown “significant association between ever-use of an indoor tanning facility and an increased risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.” These cancers develop in the skin when cumulative DNA damage occurs when it is exposed to high UV radiation over a long period of time. 

Tanning beds provide two types of UV radiation; UVA and UVB. UVA rays make up the majority of the radiation found in tanning beds, and are the rays that penetrate most deeply in the skin and affect the cells in the dermis. UVB rays primarily affect the outermost layer of the skin called the epidermis. When these UV rays penetrate the skin, DNA in the skin cells is damaged which leads to mutations which are changes in the genetic coding of the DNA.

 When DNA is mutated, it changes the way the skin cells repair and replicate. While the body has mechanisms to repair DNA damage caused by UV radiation, prolonged UV exposure over a long period of time can cause permanent damage and the growth of cancerous tumors. Eye damage such as cancer on different parts of the eye as well as skin looking prematurely aged due to becoming leathery and looser due to excessive tanning are also serious consequences to spending too much time in tanning beds.

Who is most at risk for health damage due to excessive time in tanning beds?

Younger people, specifically under the age of 35, are at a much higher risk for skin cancer when in a tanning bed, reports FamilyDoctor.org. This is because younger skin is more vulnerable to DNA damage, and starting to tan in tanning beds earlier in life significantly increases the chance of developing skin cancer later in life.

Fair skinned people as well as those with a family history of skin cancer are also at a higher risk. Culturally in the United States since the 2000s, tanning beds have been very popular amongst young women, and that trend still continues today, which is why “more than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning,” says the Skin Cancer Foundation.

What are healthier alternatives to tanning beds?

There are many options for healthy alternatives to tanning beds, such as spray tanning, tanning lotions, and gradual tanning moisturizers. Natural sun tanning can also be an alternative, but wearing sunscreen and reapplying as you tan is important in order to avoid causing severe damage to your skin.

Ultimately, the dangers of tanning beds are not worth the risk in the long run. Becoming aware of these extremely dangerous and harmful long term effects of tanning beds is important, as it can prevent you and people you know from things like skin cancer, eye damage, and premature aging. All in all, it is important to note that embracing your natural skin tone and staying out of tanning beds is much healthier for your body.