Tanning Booth Safety
In the United States, it is estimated that approximately one million people
(female and male) visit tanning booths every day. Artificial tanning by use of
tanning beds or tanning booths brings in a billion dollars annually. The tanning
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.
Experts agree that many hours of exposure to
sunlight, at any time of the year, 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 the
sun.
Common victims to ultraviolet exposure 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, and clear labeling of all tanning
equipment and products. There is, however, no well-developed plan for
monitoring, citing, or correcting tanning businesses 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.
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.
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.
