Tanning Beds - are they Safe or Unsafe?
There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding tanning beds
these days. Are they safe? Are they unsafe? Do tanning beds
contribute to the factors that cause skin cancers and other
types of cancers? There are a lot of questions - and
surprisingly few good answers.
What we have been able to establish from what all of the
'experts' have to say on the subject is that tanning beds are
safer than tanning in the sunshine, largely due to the fact that
ten minutes in a tanning bed will give you the same results as
being out in the sun for two hours - as far as your tan goes -
without the two hours of damage that the sunshine would cause to
your skin.
There are two varieties of tanning beds - the kind that you lay
down in, and the newer 'stand-up' tanning bed, which gives you a
more even tan. Tanning beds have a wide range of costs, and can
even be purchased for as little as $200 for smaller, lower
quality beds. The higher quality, larger tanning beds can run up
into the thousands of dollars.
But are they safe? Yes and no. If used as directed, they are
relatively safe. You must wear eye protection to protect your
eyes from the ultra violet rays, and you must also use the
tanning lotions that are specifically designed for indoor
tanning. Failure to take these precautions can -and will -
result in retina damage, a higher probability of skin cancer,
early wrinkles, and even sunburn.
It is also important to start slow when you first start using a
tanning bed. Start on the lowest settings, with the minimum
amount of time spent in the tanning bed, and get your tan in a
gradual way. The lower the settings are, and the less time you
spend in the tanning bed, the healthier your skin will be.
This is a good reason to own your own tanning beds, instead of
using the ones at tanning salons. The number of trips you will
need to make to your local salon, and the number of sessions
that you will need to pay for to get the tan that you desire can
really add up. In fact, it can even end up costing more than
what it would cost to buy your own tanning bed. When looking at
this expense, tanners are also tempted to 'speed up the process'
which usually results in damaged skin.