Dangers of Tanning Beds

By Dixie Medford, P.C.C.D

 In the United States more than 1 million people a day invest both time and money to visit tanning salons.  For years, having a tan has been synonymous with health and vitality.  And for those who feared the safe alternative.  Beware of claims like these.  Ads that claim indoor tanning beds to be safer may be false.

Recent studies show that the ultraviolet exposure received from tanning beds may be just as harmful to the skin as outdoor sun exposure, leading to the same molecular alterations believed to be necessary for the development of skin cancer.

In a study published by Baltimore’s John Hopkins University School of Medicine individuals were exposed to full-body tanning treatments for two weeks.  Only a small part of the buttock was covered to provide a control skin sample.  During the final tanning session, one-half of the skin on the buttock was uncovered, thereby providing an area for examination after a single ultraviolet exposure.

Skin biopsies, as well as blood samples, were taken from the participants after the first exposure and after the final exposure to determine the molecular alterations in the skin and blood.  The DNA that is most commonly damaged by ultraviolet radiation and the protein that allows cells to slow down their reproduction process so that damage from ultraviolet radiation can be repaired was analyzed.

The study found that relative to unexposed control skin, there was a significant change in the DNA in the skin biopsies.  In addition, the change of the skin after just one exposure was similar to the quantity of change that occurred after the two weeks of tanning.  Also, within 24 hours of the first tanning exposure the protein to assist in damaged skin was present in all layers of the skin.  This was an indication that the body was trying to repair itself.

When the body is trying to repair damage, there is the risk of a mistake in the repair process, which increases as the number of altered cells increases.  If there is a “miss”’ in the cell repair process, subsequent replication of the altered cell yields a clone of abnormal cells, which may eventually appear as skin cancer.

Dermatologists and public health professionals are concerned about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation from tanning beds and sun lamps, as well as from direct sun.  There are two types of ultraviolet radiation.  They are Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB).  UVB has long been associated with sunburns while UVA has been recognized as a deeper penetrating radiation that causes more damage.

Many older tanning devices used light sources that emitted UVB rays that actually caused burning.  Aware of the harmful effects of UVB radiation, salon owners began tanning beds that emit mostly long wave UVA light sources.  Advertising claims of, “No burning, no harmful side effects, and nor harsh glare” is just simply incorrect.  Indoor tanning leads to the same molecular alterations believed to be necessary for the development of skin cancer as outdoor exposure.

This year, more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnoses in the United States alone.  Over 50,000 of those will be diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.  Almost 8,000 people will die from melanoma.  Melanoma can be the side of a dime and can metastasize to other organs and kill someone relative quickly. 

Studies show that too much exposure to the light source used in tanning beds can damage the retina.  The continual overexposure can burn the cornea, and over time change the structure of the lens so that it begins to cloud, forming a cataract.

There is no such thing as a safe tan.  A suntan is the skin’s response to an injury and every time the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays it accumulated damage, as well as accelerates the aging process.  The American Medical Association and the American Academy of Dermatology has warned people for many years about the dangers of tanning, both indoors and outdoors.

Doctors and public health officials have recommended the following steps to minimize damage to the skin and eyes:

TIPS TO AVOID UV DAMAGE

• Plan your outdoor activities to avoid the sun’s strongest rays.
• As a general rule, avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Wear protective clothing
• Wear sunglasses that provide 100% UV ray protection
• Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater.
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure
• Avoid the use of sun lamps and tanning beds.