In recent years, health authorities have increasingly warned about the dangers of indoor tanning. While in the past the tanning industry has been able to claim that the UV light in tanning beds was safer than exposure to the sun's rays, more recent public information efforts have focused on refuting this claim. There is also little reliable information about the maximum safe duration for exposure in an indoor tanning bed. Tanning industry spokespeople and the medical profession appear to be diametrically opposed on the dangers of indoor tanning. The tanning industry commonly touts the "health benefits" of tanning, especially during winter in northern climates, while passing along what opponents see as too little information about the risks.
Industry Recommendations
Surfing the Internet in search of tanning lore reveals a general consensus in the tanning industry that a person making his or her first few visits to a tanning salon should limit exposure to five minutes per day, or even less. Over time, clients are encouraged to work up to longer exposure as the skin is said to become "conditioned" to the ultraviolet radiation of the tanning lamps.
Skin Types and Tanning
Dermatological professionals have identified five major skin types that are differentiated according to their sensitivity to UV radiation. People with Type 1 skin, the fairest type, should never tan themselves either indoors or out because of the high risk of skin damage or skin cancer. People with darker types of skin can withstand longer sun exposure, within limits, but they too are at risk.
Medical Objections to Indoor Tanning
According to June 2007 testimony before Massachusetts legislators by dermatology professionals, as reported by the Massachusetts Academy of Dermatology, many dermatologists and physicians feel that indoor tanning should be banned entirely. Noting that tanning beds cause burns and melanoma, these specialists point out that tanning bed lights, which are rated to emit only Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, also begin to emit much more harmful and carcinogenic UVB light as the bulbs age.
Hazards of Timed Tanning
There are many ways in which a tanning session can exceed planned limits, Massachusetts dermatologists testified. Many people have fallen asleep in tanning beds and either slept through the timer or experienced a timer malfunction. Others simply throw caution to the winds, believing that they are safe and that a longer exposure will simply give them a better tan.
Heightened Risks for Women
Among many alarming statistics being reported, one of the more significant ones is related to women, who make up the majority of clients at tanning salons (or of those who tan at home using their own tanning beds). One dermatological study reported by a Massachusetts dermatologist has shown that women who use tanning beds even one time per month develop a 55 percent higher incidence of melanoma, the most feared type of skin cancer, than women who do not use tanning beds.
No Safe Amount of Time
More and more health professionals are saying it has become increasingly clear that there is no safe time limit for indoor tanning. The website of the South Carolina Department of Health states flatly that tanning beds are unsafe, that burning of the skin is just as possible in tanning beds as it is in the sun, and that tanning every day is harmful to the skin.
Special Risks for the Young
Teenage girls, in particular, are flocking to tanning beds in search of a fine year-round tan. This is a troubling development when considering that a recent cancer study cited during the Massachusetts testimony found a 75 percent increase in melanoma for those who begin using tanning beds before 35 years of age. A sobering warning for the future is provided by the Massachusetts Academy of Dermatology, which reports that "more teenage girls now use tanning beds than smoke cigarettes."
