Recent articles published in the Lancet, and a few other medical journals,have purported to link the use of tanning beds to an increased riskof skin cancer, but the articles are ignoring several facts that dramatically impact the accuracy of their findings. Vague data and reports, incomplete studies, and restricted testing all contribute to reports on tanning bed safety that are more scare tactic than fact. The Lancet article did not include any data that could be used for acomparative study….such as starting with a “maximum suggested” amount of UV rays an individual should never exceed over a period of time, and THEN, the hours necessary to reach that threshold in the sun, and in the tanning bed.

UVExposure Reports Are Misleading

One recent study claimed that the increased use of tanning beds among those younger than age thirty parallels the rise in skin cancer. These reports don’t, however, take into account exposure to natural sunlight and whether these individuals are getting sunburns or excessive exposure to the sun beyond their tanning sessions. The truth is, most young people who use tanning beds also spend a great deal of time working on their tans in the sunlight and participating in outdoor activities that increase their sun exposure – and most of them don’t do anything to protect their skin when outdoors! Depletion of the ozone layer, the UV index, proximity to the equator, over-exposure on cloudy days, time spent on the water(where reflection increases the intensity of the sun’s rays) and variations in skin type can all contribute to recurring sunburns in young adults.

The cosmetics industry and dermatologists push the use of sunscreens as an aid in preventing sunburn and regulating the amount of sun exposure outdoors, despite recent studies that show an increased risk of malignant melanoma in individuals who regularly apply sunscreen. To date, no medical organization has published recommendations that individuals stop using sun-block.

Advances in Tanning Bed Technology Have Improved Tanning Safety

There search organizations that are issuing reports condemning the use of tanning beds are largely ignoring the impressive strides in tanning bed technology that have been made in the past few years. Research over the last twenty to thirty years was most active during the years when the tanning industry was unregulated and wasn’t monitored by local, state and federal health agencies. Many states today restrict the use of tanning beds for anyone under the age ofseventeen unless it is monitored by the minor’s parents and approved by a doctor.

Indoor tanning beds produce the same UV light produced by the sun, but they are strictly monitored. When using a tanning bed, individuals receive only small doses at properly spaced intervals in order togreatly reduce the chances of a sunburn (something that can’tbe said about laying in the sun all afternoon). Tanning equipment manufacturers now have technology that can gauge your skin type inorder to provide you with the exact amount of UV light to give you abase tan without burning or sun damage. Research studies consistently ignore the fact that proper and responsible use of tanning beds has never been conclusively linked to skin cancer!