Tanning beds are used in order to get bronzed skin. The bed has rows of lights that give off ultraviolet (UV) rays that simulate the sun's. Tanning beds can be used throughout the year, and they can help people get tans in preparation for spending time at the beach so they don't get sunburned. They are also used to get tans for cosmetic purposes. However, there has been research on tanning beds that have the revealed dangers of their use.
Melanoma
Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, which are cells that produce the skin pigment melanin. There is an increased risk of contracting melanoma for people who are in their teens or twenties who use tanning beds. This is a 75 percent increase in risk. In the past 30 years in the United States, the number of diagnosed melanoma cases has doubled.
Squamous Cell Cancer
There is also an increased risk for people to develop squamous cell cancer (SCC) when they use tanning beds and first began using them as teenagers. Squamous cell cancer begins in squamous cells, which are flat cells that are found in tissue that forms skin.
Immune System
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, overexposure to UV rays can suppress the immune system by suppressing its proper functioning. Overexposure can also suppress the skin's natural defenses and diminish the effects of immunizations. For people who are being treated for Herpes simplex virus, sunlight and the use of tanning beds can weaken the immune system of the body so that it can no longer keep the virus under control.
Premature Aging of Skin
The use of tanning beds, as with tanning with natural sunlight, can make the skin leathery and wrinkled. It can also cause dark spots on the skin.
Eye Damage
The use of tanning beds can cause a type of eye damage called photokeratitis, which is caused by intense UV exposure of the eye. The symptoms of photokeratitis include pain, swollen eyelids, tearing of the cornea, a feeling of sand in the eye and hazy or blurred vision.
