Safe. Harmless. Reduced risk of sunburn. Indoor tanning salons may assure you all of these things that you get as a package deal with that attractive, summertime glow. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Skin Cancer Foundation warn that the hazards associated with indoor tanning devices, which emit the same type of ultraviolet radiation as the sun, are the same as if you hang out by the pool without wearing sunscreen—and your end results could be deadly.
Sunburn
Many indoor tanning devices claim to emit mostly ultraviolet A radiation—the rays that make your skin turn brown. However, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology points out that around five percent of indoor tanning device radiation is ultraviolet B, short-length rays that cause sunburn. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a recent survey among adolescent indoor tanning device users indicated that 58 percent suffered sunburn. If you pop into a tanning bed au naturale, you may be applying cool compresses and aloe gel to unmentionable parts of your body that come into contact with chair seats and bra cups each day. Even after your sunburn fades and begins to peel—usually within a few days—you may suffer more permanent signs of skin damage caused by UV radiation exposure: Wrinkles.
Premature Aging
The healthy glow associated with a tan is really an outward indicator of longer-term damage, says the Skin Cancer Foundation, as melanin production increases to ward off sunburn. The UVA radiation found in indoor tanning devices has a longer wavelength that penetrates deeper into your skin's second layer, the dermis, causing what is known as photoaging. The reason why UVA rays are so damaging is that they affect collagen production, the protein responsible for warding off wrinkles, and damage elastin, the substance that gives your skin elasticity and snap. With repeated exposure to UVA, your skin lacks the ability to correctly self-repair, says the foundation. Wrinkles, sun spots and leathery, rough skin are only cosmetic afflictions; the greatest danger posed by tanning beds could compromise your health.
Skin Cancer
All types of skin cancer have a known and intimate link to UV radiation exposure. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, people who use tanning beds are 74 percent more likely to get melanoma—the deadliest type of skin cancer—than people who don't use them. When it comes to the number of mortalities caused by melanoma, the statistics are grim: the foundation reports that roughly 8,650 people in the U.S. died from melanoma in 2009. The more visits you make to a tanning salon, the more you increase your chances of contracting cancer.
Other Complications
Sunburn, signs of aging and skin cancer aren't the only risks associated with indoor tanning; according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, UVB rays may cause your immune system to malfunction, making you more prone to disease, including skin cancer. Permanent eye damage and an itchy, unpleasant allergic reaction to UV radiation are other possible complications caused by tanning bed use.
Added Expense
Health risks aside, indoor tanning bed can inflict damage on a place you might not expect: your pocketbook. In July 2010, a 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services went into effect to fund federal health care reform, says CNN.com. The federal Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the "tan tax," which is passed down to consumers, is expected to amount to some $2.7 billion over 10 years. Even celebrities are cutting out indoor tanning, including Snooki from MTV's "Jersey Shore," says the Skin Cancer Foundation, purportedly due to the increase in cost.
