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Do Tanning Beds Cause Skin Cancer?

Tanning beds are especially popular in cold countries, where there isn't much sun to be gotten in the first place. Understandably, the tanning bed industry is much stronger in Europe than in the United States, though it already rakes in around two billion US dollars a year. People use tanning lights as an alternative to getting a natural tan by exposure to sunlight - but this method doesn't come without its own health issues. It's never too late to ask whether or not tanning beds cause cancer.

The popularity of tanning beds has not waned over time. Tan skin is a sign of good health and an active lifestyle, thus people also consider it a sign of youth and beauty. But they work by exposing the naked skin directly to ultraviolet (UV) rays, simulating exposure to direct sunlight. However, skin cancer and other potentially fatal disorders is caused by overexposure to UV rays, whether indoors or outdoors.

Studies have shown that young women below the age of 30 who visit tanning salons around 10 times a year are seven times more likely to develop melanoma, than young women who didn't visit tanning salons at all. Melanoma is the most severe form of skin cancer, highly treatable at the first stages, but potentially deadly if left undetected.

Skin cancer isn't the only problem one can get from overuse of tanning implements. Research has proven that overexposure to UV rays can also cause genetic skin diseases, such as premature aging.

Advocates of tanning justify the use of tanning beds as a healthy option for a variety of reasons. One of them is that a tanning bed allows a person to regularly imbibe vitamin D without having to step out of the house or relocate to sunnier regions. Vitamin D can be gotten from direct sunlight; it is helpful in fighting skin diseases like acne and eczema. However, it can also be gotten from vitamin-rich organic foods such as milk and salmon.

Modern models of tanning implements come with timers to prevent overexposure to UV rays. Tanning beds are no exception. But just to be on the safe side, consult a health expert before setting a tanning regimen for yourself. A good tan should not be rushed, but neither should it be drawn out to the point of making you physically ill!