How uhealthy is using a tanning booth for Questionland Seattle

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How uhealthy is using a tanning booth

Just how unhealthy is it to use a tanning booth, maybe half a dozen times a year? Higher risk of skin cancer? Is the radiation really an issue?

The StainMaster asked in Aches, Pains & Illness 10 months ago | Report

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Russ Campbell, NWEBS

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I grew up in a very much sunnier clime, before sunscreens existed except for coating your nose with zinc oxide. Being fair skinned I had to be careful to build exposure to the sun slowly each year in the summer. As a kid I got sunburned many times. Still I was not as crazy a sun seeker as some I knew in high school.

Even if skin cancer was not the risk it is in deliberately exposing yourself to UV radiation, then the damage to your skin's elasticity and youthful appearance should give you some caution. Unfortunately, this effect takes many years to show and most people can only look back with regret.

I remember going to my ten year high school reunion and seeing the girls that had always been at the beach and always had the deep perfect tans. Most of us looked to be in our late twenties (as we actually were), they looked to be ten years older (no kidding). Now many years later I look at the skin on my arms and see the lasting damage that was earned by my exposure. Look forward to a long life of more youthful appearance and good skin, avoid the unnecessary exposure, use sunscreens, utilize sunless tanning products if you want that look, be healthy!

Russ Campbell, NWEBS answered in Aches, Pains & Illness 10 months ago | Report

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"Compared to people who had never used a tanning bed, indoor tanners had a 74% increased risk for melanoma." - WebMD

And that was just the first link...

I am saying this in an honest spirit of helpfulness, not snark: if a person spent the time they would have spent tanning exercising instead, and the money they would have spent tanning on their wardrobe or a good haircut, the improvement in their appearance would be much greater than if they had spent that time and money tanning.

CrazyCatLady answered in Aches, Pains & Illness 10 months ago | Report

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I cannot give you an authortative response, but here in Australia the issue was highlighted a few years ago by reason of a woman named Clare Oliver who died at 26 from cancer linked to tanning in a salon.

Since her death tanning salons are now subject to much more regulation.

Here is a link to a piece from one of the less sensational news programs in Australia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KmHEJXYZrQ

If you Google "Clare Oliver" that will give you links to a wide range of articles.

My simplistic understanding is that UV radiation is going to increase the risks of skin cancer and melanoma no matter whether you get exposure - at the beach or in a salon.

ozchick answered in Aches, Pains & Illness 10 months ago | Report

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I went tanning for about a month before I went to Maui this February so I wouldn't have to worry about getting burned. When I lived in Texas and Oklahoma I used to lay out all day (almost) every day during the summer. Since moving to Seattle, I rarely get to lay out. In my humble opinion, tanning for a few weeks once every other year or so is probably about the same amount of damage as I would otherwise be doing if I could lay out in the real sun.
So, if you do it in moderation (a few weeks out of the year) and don't become tanorexic, and since the Pacific Northwest only gets like freaking 3 days of sun anyway (!!!grrrrrrr!!!!!), I have come to the conclusion that it's probably not that bad.

lilmonster206 answered in Aches, Pains & Illness 10 months ago | Report

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