Safe Tanning Using A Tanning Bed

Where a tanning bed scores is in not needing good weather; not many of us feel like laying scantily clad in the open air during winter! A tanning bed also makes it easy to limit your exposure very precisely, which means you can keep down the time you spend receiving the UV that both sunlight and sun beds contain.

Tanning beds use artificial light and need to be properly understood in order that they provide safe tanning. The claims in some advertising that say that these beds are totally safe in comparison to the sun are not true. So find out how you can tan yourself safely.

Claims about the safety of tanning beds stem from the type of artificial light that they use. The Ultra Violet (UV) lights used in sun beds are said to be healthier than sunlight. However, although there is an element of truth in this, other important factors are left out. There are 2 types of ultra violet light that are also contained in the sunlight outside, UV-A and UV-B. Today sun beds use UV-A rays, but the first tanning machines used the more harmful UV-B rays which allowed the skin to burn easily. UV-A lights mean that skin doesn't often burn, but if this is viewed as an excuse to spend hours on the bed it is still not safe.

Another false claim that you should ignore is the idea that UV-A tanning beds do not damage your eyes so you do not need to wear goggles. They do, and you should always wear protective goggles (not sunglasses, not simply keeping your eyes closed, and not some bits of cotton wool!) - the FDA has made this a rule for all tanning salons, so your salon should insist you wear them.

Another question to ask yourself is whether you want to have a tan all year? Using tanning beds on a regular basis will mean that your skin will age prematurely. This is something to consider - how about, rather than tanning the whole year-round, restricting yourself to the summer months? This especially appealing if you live in a country that has its own seasons and where you will be covered up in the winter months - but hey, it's up to you!

If you have children it is good to give some thought to how much time they spend in the sun or on tanning beds. Research suggests that sunburn to young skins has much more damaging consequences than burns to adult skin. This research looked at the sun damage by UV-B rays but experts also believe that sun beds should be treated with care - it is certainly something to bear in mind when your children or teenagers are thinking of a tan.

A medical opinion should probably be sought before using tanning beds. This is because some conditions - diabetes, lupus and herpes simplex (cold sores) - are made worse by because some medication makes skin more susceptible to artificial tanning rays - the list includes certain types of birth control pills, anti-histamines and tranquilizers. So talk to the doctor.

Some people are happy enough to use a tanning machine because they want a tan. So just be aware of the potential hazards and follow a few guidelines - don't get burnt and wear goggles for instance - and enjoy your tan.

Copyright 2005 Anndrea Jenkin. All rights reserved.
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Anndrea Jenkin is the author of UVA Tanning Bed which is a huge resource for tanning bed details on the Internet. Please visit her archive of articles: www.uvatanningbed.com