Tanning Bed Risks To Be Aware Of

There are many dangers to using a tanning bed extensively. What makes it more dangerous is the cultural craze for the tanned skin color and the 5 billion dollar tanning salon industry that wants to keep it going. It is important that everyone involved in such lifestyle be aware of the risks and proper precautionary practices.

It’s a dangerous fascination and misconception that a golden glow is healthier and more attractive than whatever natural hue, or lack thereof, you inherited from your ancestral line.

The real trouble begins with the lack of regulation of using tanning beds. Like all things, tanning can become addictive to some people and like all dangerous addictions something needs to be done to minimize the harm an ignorant person can do to them self. Some salons have loosely enforced rules about usage but there needs to be a push for educating against the dangers, just as there is a need for education to fight drug and alcohol abuse.

The negative effects mirror that of smoking. Cancers and disruption of normal body functions as well the imbalance it creates in the body are side effects of both over exposure to UV rays as well as smoking and other drugs. Drug induced photosensitivity heighten the effects of the tanning beds.

The short term damage to the skin from over exposure to UV rays range from burns to just dry, irritated skin. But extended use threatens the long term vitality of the skin leaving it prone to wrinkles and sagging as the exposure to UV radiation causes the skin to age faster, as well as increased risk of various forms of skin cancer.

The dangers are magnified as tanning bed users try to magnify the effect of the tanning process. Increasing the intensity as well as using drugs to induce more sensitivity to the ultraviolet rays is both stupid and dangerous.

Manufacturers and advertisers irresponsibly push tanning agents on unsuspecting, and stupidly unquestioning, consumers. These drugs promise to accelerate the tan but the quantities that they are used to induce the intended effect are not FDA approved.

As with everything a person encounters in life, it is important to educate ourselves about the pros and cons of any decision we make. Those looking to use a tanning bed need to be aware of the risk and the precautionary practices they should follow.

Much safer alternatives are tanning lotions and bronzers that don’t affect the body beyond the dead skin cells. These products are recommended by many health associations for the relative safety they offer compared to dangerous practices such as tanning beds or even sun tanning.