A disturbing number of studies from around the world are blowing a hole in the theory that indoor tanning is far less damaging than outdoor tanning. The Indoor Tanning Association maintains that the negative effects of ultraviolet light "have been overstated and the benefits ignored," according to their website, despite warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Dermatology and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that indoor tanning poses serious health risks.
UV Light Exposure
Any ultraviolet light exposure, be it from the sun or from the lamps in a tanning bed, causes a melanin response in the skin. Sharon Miller, laboratory leader of the Optical Radiation Safety and Devices Division of Physics for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, terms it an insult to the skin to which the body responds by producing melanin, a pigment in the cells that turns the epidermis dark to more ably deal with the UV exposure. Over time, this repeated response leads to prematurely aged skin and sun damage including discoloration and spotting, Miller says.
Cancer Risk
In July 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer upgraded the cancer risk from tanning beds to "carcinogenic to humans" from "possibly carcinogenic to humans." The IARC's recommendation was to ban indoor tanning for children under 18. Childhood sunburns are thought to be a leading cause of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, later in life. The other type of cancer associated with indoor tanning is squamous cell carcinoma, according to the IARC.
Vitamin D Production
UV radiation affects the body in negative and positive ways, according to the FDA. Incidental exposure is responsible for the production of vitamin D in the body. Healthy levels of vitamin D reduce the risk of osteoporosis, high blood pressure and heart disease, according to the agency. Dr. William Grant, founder of the International Smart Tan Network, contends that indoor tanning criticism is unfounded because tanning beds filter most of the dangerous UV B rays that cause sunburn and lead to skin cancer and instead use UV A rays, which tan without burning and help the body maintain healthy levels of vitamin D.
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Indoor Tanning: The Risks of UV Rays
- American Academy of Dermatology: Indoor Tanning Fact Sheet
- Hazzards: Indoor Tanning Linked to Skin Cancer
- Journal of the National Cancer Institute: Use of Tanning Devises and Basal Cell Skin Cancers
- Market Wire: Did Melanoma Researchers Reverse Engineer Their Findings
