Tanning Indoors Is More Dangerous Than Tanning Outdoors One of the most common spiels you'll hear at the tanning salon is that if you're going to tan, it's "smarter" to do so in a bed as opposed to outdoors. Tanning salon employees like Heather Carrillo, who worked at a salon for a year and a half, say they are taught in their "Smart-Tan Certification" to "never say indoor tanning is 'safe' [but] to say it is 'smart.' Obviously getting a tan is not safe, so the selling point is that in a bed you can monitor the exact amount of exposure as opposed to tanning outside where the UV percentages change every day."
So is this true? Is tanning indoors smarter that outdoors due to the "controlled environment" of a bed? David E. Bank, MD, a dermatologist and founding member of The Skin Cancer Foundation, says no. In fact, he maintains that it's quite the opposite -- tanning indoors is actually more dangerous to the health of your skin because "you're getting a much higher concentration of the longer wavelength UVA, which damages more deeply into the skin" than being out in the sun. And research backs him up. "Frequent tanners using new, high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to the dose they receive from sun exposure" and are "74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors," says The Skin Cancer Foundation.
UGH! I hate reading articles like this. I love being tan and love laying in that tanning bed for 15 minutes of relaxing me time. But I know that it is sucha bad thing to do! Why? Why are all the good things we love so bad for us?!?!
75% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency because of stupid articles like this! A lack of vitamin D, sunburns, spray tans and sunscreen all cause cancer. People really need to start thinking for themselves!
Ha!!!! Most of this information is CRAP and the last slide about spray tanning proves it!! Spray tanning involves a compound called DHA which is a derivitave from sugar cane. It causes an oxidization affect with the top layer of dead skin. It does not in ANY way stimulate the production of melanin!! Research both sides before you throw your opinion in the ring! Don't be fooled into believing that Cancer societies and Dermatologists aren't being funded BIG TIME by sunscreen manufacturers! But go ahead, drive the fear while telling people it's safe to slather on chemical laden sunscreens! Double standard? I think so!
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Older comments
UGH! I hate reading articles like this. I love being tan and love laying in that tanning bed for 15 minutes of relaxing me time. But I know that it is sucha bad thing to do! Why? Why are all the good things we love so bad for us?!?!
by PrincessKim81 Friday, March 22, 2013 at 10:51AM Report as inappropriate
75% of Americans have a vitamin D deficiency because of stupid articles like this! A lack of vitamin D, sunburns, spray tans and sunscreen all cause cancer. People really need to start thinking for themselves!
by Kelly_K Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 05:07PM Report as inappropriate
Very interesting to read
by Candice11 Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 02:31AM Report as inappropriate
good to know
by butterfly11 Friday, March 15, 2013 at 05:09PM Report as inappropriate
super good things to know here. next time will definitely just go for the spray tan
by treehugger1997 Friday, March 1, 2013 at 02:41PM Report as inappropriate
Well I'm glad I don't tan in any way now
by thequietnoise Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 12:20PM Report as inappropriate
Ha!!!! Most of this information is CRAP and the last slide about spray tanning proves it!! Spray tanning involves a compound called DHA which is a derivitave from sugar cane. It causes an oxidization affect with the top layer of dead skin. It does not in ANY way stimulate the production of melanin!! Research both sides before you throw your opinion in the ring! Don't be fooled into believing that Cancer societies and Dermatologists aren't being funded BIG TIME by sunscreen manufacturers! But go ahead, drive the fear while telling people it's safe to slather on chemical laden sunscreens! Double standard? I think so!
by jellybean__111 Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 04:40PM Report as inappropriate
Good info
by EricaC123 Friday, December 28, 2012 at 05:06PM Report as inappropriate
girl get out of that tanning bed
by LittleBunny Friday, December 21, 2012 at 11:24AM Report as inappropriate
Wow, what a fun read! I'm going to make my friends read this!
by Snowwhitessecret Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 12:47PM Report as inappropriate