Everyone loves having a nice, even, bronzed tan look. But there are many people who pay a high price for it in other ways. If they spend hours in the sun or in tanning salons without realizing or accepting the fact that they are inviting trouble. There is a danger in tanning beds or laying for a long time in the sun, as shown in various studies, including the possibility of getting skin cancer and the early aging of skin.
The danger comes from the ultraviolet rays that are used to develop a tan. An individual, without being aware of the dangers, spends considerable time under the lamps fixed to tanning beds. The danger is particularly high among those who are less than 16 years old because the skin is very soft and tender at this point of their life. People who are very fair or whose skin gets burned easily in the sun are also susceptible to skin cancer. But the most vulnerable are those who have a history of skin cancer in their families. The others who should avoid tanning beds are those who have lots of freckles, red or very fair hair.
If you have any concerns at all, check with your doctor before spending significant amounts of time in a tanning bed. It is also good, if you use a tanning salon, to use their services under the guidance of trained salon staff. Too much intensity of light or too much time spent on the tanning beds is an invitation to problems. It may lead to skin irritation. The skin may also age faster or may get a leathery look.
Younger people like teens and pre-teens don’t feel these changes because their skin is young. But continued use of tanning beds may cause problems for them too. The middle-aged and the elderly certainly need to limit the use of tanning beds. Also, when using tanning beds, you must apply tanning bed lotions or creams. These protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.
Those who have installed tanning beds at home must be especially careful. The tanning beds are not like bath tubs where you can spend long hours. Be careful of how you use your tanning bed. This is particularly dangerous because you can get so comfortable that you may fall asleep in the tanning bed. Make sure that the tanning bed has a timer that will shut itself off after a set period of time. To make double sure, some people also use a secondary timer or an alarm clock just in case.