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Tans for Sale: The Tanning Bed
Carol Beard, RN, BS.N., Ann C. Slocum, Ph.D., Joanne Schultink, M.S.
Human Environment and Design Department, Michigan State University

While sun exposure is on the forefront of concern, consideration also needs to be given to the increasing popularity of sun tanning beds. "Artificial sources of solar radiation carry the same risks as natural sunlight exposure. . . . Some experts believe the light from tanning booths and sun lamps may penetrate the skin to depths below that reached by natural sunlight" (Maier, 1999). "The tan you get from a tanning bed is a different tan altogether from the one you get naturally. . . . Natural sunlight activates the melanin in your skin. Rays from tanning beds attack the blood vessels deeper in the skin, making them change color instead of the skin's pigment cells. It's a deeper damage that, in the end, may prove more harmful than the sun's rays" (Payne, 1993). "The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that 1 million Americans visit tanning salons every day, and that the average 15-30 minute visit is equivalent to an entire day at the beach" (Vetter, 1999).

"The Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention encourage people to avoid the use of tanning beds and sun lamps" (Vetter, 1999). "It's hard to estimate just how much radiation you're getting by how long you spend under the lamps because they vary in the amount of radiation they emit" (Freifeld, 1988). The amount of UV radiation emitted depends on the type of equipment and the age of the bulb. In addition, manufacturers can claim that their lamps emit only UV-A light, when in fact they actually give off up to five percent UV-B rays (Freifeld, 1988).

The tanning bed light can burn both skin and eyes and can increase the risk of other health problems. "Burns to the skin or the cornea may appear within hours of a tanning session" (Lewis, 1990). Tene Rodriguez-Sains, MD, an ophthalmologist at New York's Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital says that unless you wear special goggles (supplied by the tanning salons), "you can fry your corneas" (Freifeld, 1988). The risk of other health problems, such as cataracts, weakening of the immune system, skin cancer, and premature aging of the skin are increased with UV- exposure, however they may not materialize until years later (Lewis, 1990).

Another consideration is the increased sensitivity of the outer skin after exposure to UVA bulbs. This increased sensitivity can result in a severe burn if tanning in a salon is followed immediately by sunbathing. One Alabama man who sunbathed outdoors for an hour after a tanning salon session suffered a second-degree flash burn all over his body. While he survived, the entire outer layer of his skin peeled (Lewis, 1990).

"Public health experts and medical professionals warn that even moderate use of tanning beds may cause skin cancer, including melanoma. Three studies on the topic show why they are concerned. Researchers in Sweden reported that people under age 30, who use tanning beds more than ten times a year, have more than seven times the risk of melanoma" (Munson, 1995). Dr. Isaac Willis, MD, professor of dermatology and medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, found that of 50 patients whose skin cancer was diagnosed during a one month period, some 70 percent had been in a tanning parlor (Freifeld, 1988). Finally, an English dermatologist sites a case that he feels links skin cancer with tanning booth exposure. The patient grew up on the frigid edge of the North Sea and her only exposure to ultraviolet radiation came from using a tanning booth, one to two times per week, for three years. She was found to have multiple skin cancer lesions which, given her history and environment, suggests that Ultraviolet-A light from sunlamps can damage cells in the skin's deeper, dermal layer, eventually leading to cancer (Garrison, 1995). People who use a tanning bed not only place themselves at risk for skin cancer, but some researchers believe that skin cancer could develop faster among users of tanning beds than for people who acquire a tan in the sun (Payne, 1993).

Because of these health problems the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration all advise against tanning, indoors or out (Freifeld, 1988).

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