Are Sunbeds Safe?

It was not long ago when people believed that a suntanned body was a sure sign of beauty. People would spend long hours at the beach trying to achieve that perfectly tanned body.

The idea was that a suntanned body looked healthier and at the same time was a status symbol. After all, if you could spend hours at the beach as your friends were busy in the office during winter, it meant you were better off financially.

A few scientists debunked the health benefits of getting a sun tan. It was discovered that a sun tan was actually the body's attempt to protect itself from the damaging effects of the sun's rays. We were busy harming our body as we searched for the beautiful body.

Sun Tans and Ultraviolet Rays

It was discovered that the sun rays produce two types of ultra violet rays.

• UVA rays - These cause skin ageing, and
• UVB rays - These cause the skin to burn.

Excessive exposure to both types of ultraviolet rays increases the chance of developing malignant melanoma. This is a form of skin cancer. It also exposes your skin to premature ageing and can cause damage to the eyes.

Sun beds and Health Myths

People started using sun beds for all sorts of reasons including the quick results when compared to natural sun light. As such some common myths have been created that can cause serious health issues for those who continuously use sun beds:

Sun bed tanning is a sign of good health

Any change of skin color whether from a natural sun tan or a sun bed, is a sign of skin damage. It is especially for those who do not use goggles in a sun bed as it can cause eye irritation, conjunctivitis and eye cancer.

Sun beds only cause skin damage to young people

Any person who uses sun beds is in danger of developing melanoma skin cancer at whatever age. The more you use them the more damage you do to your skin especially since melanoma occurs gradually.

Sun bed Tanning is safer than sun tanning

Sun beds give out UV rays just as the natural sun rays. It is the UV rays that cause skin damage and some sun beds can produce up to 10-15 times the amount of UV rays as the natural sun. Sun beds are not a safe alternative to natural sunlight.

You need to burn in order to get a suntan

Most people who use a sun bed prefer to get a burning sensation in order to get a good sun tan. However, burning or going red is a sign that your skin has been seriously harmed. In fact it can cause your skin to mutate and divide uncontrollably.

You can build a safe sun tan in a sun bed

Limiting the time spent in a sun bed or using a sunscreen in a sun bed will not protect your skin from damage. In fact, these short and irregular periods spent in a sun bed will cause damage and ageing faster. Irregular exposure to UV rays is very harmful to your health.

If you really want a tan, using fake tan is a much safer option than using a sun bed, or sunlamp. Fake tans come in many forms, including creams, sprays and lotions.

Spray-on tans are also available from tanning salons. However, if you are considering using a fake tan, you should always try it on a small patch of skin before applying it to your whole body to check for an allergic reaction.

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