Tanning Booth Safety Tips for Women

Artificial tanning by use of tanning beds or tanning booths brings in a billion dollars annually. The tanning salon industry is largely unregulated. Unsuspecting teens as well as sun-seekers of all ages submit their bodies to ultraviolet exposure that is 100 times greater than natural sunlight through the use of a tanning booth or tanning bed. Experts agree that many hours of exposure to sunlight, especially in tanning beds, can lead to a host of eye and skin problems. Skin rashes, irritation, sunburn, retinal damage, and even malignant melanoma, or skin cancer, have all been seen in patients with excess exposure to ultraviolet light exposure through the use of tanning beds.

Common victims to ultraviolet exposure from tanning beds are those under age thirty, those who have experienced a significant or multiple sunburns, and those who spend a regular amount of time or many hours darkening their skin in a tanning bed.

Although the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued regulations concerning tanning booths in conjunction with the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, few people are aware of them, and many seem not to care. Under the Regulations for the Administration and Enforcement of the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968, earlier guidelines were issued, including the advisability of limiting exposure to artificial tanning light, the need to wear protective eyewear while in a tanning booth, and clear labeling of all tanning equipment and tanning products. There is, however, no well-developed plan for monitoring, citing, or correcting tanning salons that do not comply with these safety advisories.

Consequently, the rise of melanoma is most prominent among people in their 20's and 30's, a population that experienced few cases of the disease in previous decades. Many feel that increased usage of tanning booths may be a contributing factor. Since 1894 doctors have recognized the connection between sun bathing and skin cancer, yet the general population may not understand the significant dangers posed in artificial suntans through the use of a tanning bed.

In 1994 the American Medical Association called for a ban on tanning equipment that was not associated with medical use. Dermatologists, likewise, urged the Food and Drug Administration to discourage the pursuit of getting a suntan at a tanning booth.

If you continue to visit the tanning salon to tan your skin through inducing the production of melanin by UV light, here are some things to consider:

Proper tanning bed temperature should not exceed thirty degrees centigrade.

Be sure to wear protective goggles for your eyes, which should be provided by tanning booth staff, or you can bring your own pair.

Ask for the plastic shield that protects users from the heat bulbs in case they should break or cause thermal burns on contact with your skin.

Do not exceed the recommended time limit per tanning visit.

Realize that not all skin types can or will tan, and some skins tan darker than others. Also consider getting a tan through moderate sun exposure or by using a self-tanner.

Use common sense when attempting to darken your skin tone by use of a tanning booth. Don't overdo it when tanning, and visibly inspect your skin everywhere on your body for unusual spots or moles. If you find any, have a dermatologist check them promptly.

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