2008 Woodie Awards
The Dangers of Indoor UV Tanning
Kayla O’BrienContributing Writer
Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 3 next >
I've come to the conclusion that I am a money-hungry hypocrite with an addiction. Yes, me. For a while this year I worked at a well-known tanning franchise. I was just as addicted as my customers and although we were highly trained about our services and keeping our salon sanitary, we weren't trained about the long-term risks at hand. I remember signing a disclaimer my first day of work but like most of my customers, I glazed over the precautions because I assumed that if it really was that bad, these types of salons wouldn't be legal. And hey, everybody's doing it so could it really be that bad?
It seems like a quick fix to winter pasteyness and a great jumpstart for your ultimate summer or spring-break glow. It's the way to feel good about your appearance and look good in the color white. And you're not alone. The tanning industry is a two-billion dollar a year industry that includes 28 million tanners (just like you and me) yearly (The Skin Cancer Foundation). Sure there's a lot to gain in vein, but what everyone is not thinking about is the longtime effects of indoor tanning. Recently, many popular acclamations by the tanning industry have been coming to the surface as exaggerations and misleading and if more people were to know about the bigger picture then it could prevent such health hazards like wrinkling, cataracts, and gulp, skin cancer.
What exactly is UV? Yes it is a vocabulary word from your chemistry class, but it also relates to your indoor tanning experience. Most salons use booths containing UVB, while some also use UVA lights. UVA rays are 5 percent of the sun's rays and although it seems like such a small percentage, these rays are 20 times more abundant than UVB rays (WebMd). Not only are these rays powerful but also they penetrate your skin more deeply. Most tanning salons claim this to be a benefit in order to hold your tan longer. UVB rays are the rays that cause your skin to tan, but also burn. It contains 0.5 percent of the sun's rays and can be protected by the sun protection factor (SPF) found in sunscreens. These UVB rays can be connected to 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancer and cataracts. The only true benefit I found in UVB is that it helps your body produce Vitamin D normally. Indoor tanning and Vitamin D have been proven to aid those suffering from psoriasis or osteoporosis because it promotes healthy bone growth and the absorption of calcium, but keep in mind that there are many other ways to increase vitamin D in your health routine.
It seems like a quick fix to winter pasteyness and a great jumpstart for your ultimate summer or spring-break glow. It's the way to feel good about your appearance and look good in the color white. And you're not alone. The tanning industry is a two-billion dollar a year industry that includes 28 million tanners (just like you and me) yearly (The Skin Cancer Foundation). Sure there's a lot to gain in vein, but what everyone is not thinking about is the longtime effects of indoor tanning. Recently, many popular acclamations by the tanning industry have been coming to the surface as exaggerations and misleading and if more people were to know about the bigger picture then it could prevent such health hazards like wrinkling, cataracts, and gulp, skin cancer.
What exactly is UV? Yes it is a vocabulary word from your chemistry class, but it also relates to your indoor tanning experience. Most salons use booths containing UVB, while some also use UVA lights. UVA rays are 5 percent of the sun's rays and although it seems like such a small percentage, these rays are 20 times more abundant than UVB rays (WebMd). Not only are these rays powerful but also they penetrate your skin more deeply. Most tanning salons claim this to be a benefit in order to hold your tan longer. UVB rays are the rays that cause your skin to tan, but also burn. It contains 0.5 percent of the sun's rays and can be protected by the sun protection factor (SPF) found in sunscreens. These UVB rays can be connected to 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancer and cataracts. The only true benefit I found in UVB is that it helps your body produce Vitamin D normally. Indoor tanning and Vitamin D have been proven to aid those suffering from psoriasis or osteoporosis because it promotes healthy bone growth and the absorption of calcium, but keep in mind that there are many other ways to increase vitamin D in your health routine.