The Ultimate Debate: Is What They Say About Tanning Beds True?
Sun damage here and ageing effects there!
With summer basically here, not everyone always reaps the natural rewards, especially in places like the UK where they love a good tan but it’s very lucky and rare that we get a sunny summer. Notorious for bad weather and lack of sun, a lot of people across the world turn to sunbeds and I feel that recently I’ve been hearing a lot more about it than I have in the past couple of years.
I understand the appeal, especially when it comes to living in areas that not only don’t have sun but where societal culture is like you are only good-looking with a tan. Sunbeds kind of hit two birds with one stone for people; they are getting some artificial sun, which makes them look nice and tanned so they are having a little temporary fix from seasonal depression but they are also being looked at by others as more attractive.
These two reasons are enough for hundreds of thousands of people to go on the sunbeds and make the most of them, even while knowing the multitude of risks with them. Especially nowadays, there are so many things At one point, they say, ‘It’s good for you’ and the next, it’s bad Many people assume it won't happen to them; life is too short but there are ways to combat some of the side effects.
For example, a huge thing everyone talks about is the ageing effect sunbeds have but with Botox and plastic surgery, a lot of women don’t see that as an obstacle anymore. Not only that but with advances in technology now, there is always room for debate on whether tanning beds are safe now or if they could be safe in the future.
What Are Tanning Beds?
If you are unsure about tanning beds and how they actually work, let’s get into it. Tanning is a very tempting and quick shortcut to a sun-glowed tan. For example, 9 minutes on the bed could mean that you’ve been sunbathing for 2 hours.
The bulbs or lamps that are installed in the tanning beds emit artificial UV (ultraviolet) radiation. While these are similar, they are definitely not the same. Have you ever seen someone whose tan just looks a little different? Then it’s like being a sunbed tan. As the UV type is different, it interacts with the cells in your skin differently.
Can Tanning Beds Be Safe?
The short answer is no, really but a lot of it depends on a multitude of factors and that is not to say that if none of these apply to you, then it’s safe; it’s more that some people are more vulnerable than others.
That being said, tanning beds are more dangerous to people because of these factors:
Moles
Pale skin
Family history of skin cancer
Excessive users
Those who don’t abide by the rules
While sunbed shops do advocate that they don’t promote unsafe measures such as oil and ensure that moles are covered, they often make misleading claims about the benefits of the products that they sell at the till but also promote the concept of a ‘base tan’ before you go on your holiday. However, there is no such thing as a safe tan, whether it comes from the sun or a tanning bed.
UV rays as a whole, artificial or not, are not compatible with our skin for the long term and without the right protection, they can both have damaging effects.
It’s pretty contradictory in the media when it comes to people's skin health. The sun can provide so many natural remedies to skin conditions such as acne, as well as mental health. It’s been known that these health professionals have encouraged individuals with poor skin conditions to go on sunbeds to help with their skin.
Hearing one minute that it’s really bad but then being told by health professionals it’s good for you can leave people wondering if all the threats are even true. While I am not defending sunbed shops, the evidence is out there, and it’s all a bit contradictory and confusing for the general public. Especially when it comes to extensive knowledge about the risks of artificial UV’s.
Why Do Tanning Beds Have a Bed Rep
Tanning beds emit UV radiation just like the sun and because tanning beds tend to be short bursts of stronger rays, they can damage your skin cells more than spending an hour in the real sun. You are more likely to put suncream on under the sun and are very unlikely to do that for the sunbeds so that is just a small insight on some of the differences to why tanning beds are worse than the natural sun.
Let’s not get it twisted that we all need sun in our lives for things like vitamin D and serotonin boosts and when you are protecting yourself, you can have a lovely natural glow. It’s a conflict of interest when areas such as the UK have more rain and darkness in the year than the sun, which is also unhealthy for you. So it makes complete sense why people are seeking out a natural remedy; although that’s not to say they don’t deserve the bad reputation they have, a consistent message needs to be spread to teach individuals how to protect their skin and overall health.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to deciding whether you should quit the sunbeds or not, they are objectively bad for you and there are many cases and statistics that support this. It is each to their own in the sense that people eat fast food even though it is so bad for them so my opinion is that as long as you understand all the risks and consequences of your actions, then it is pretty hypocritical for anyone to tell anyone not to do something when everything comes with risk.
As long as individuals are educated with the facts, they can move on and take the necessary steps forward. If you are an individual who has quit and wants to aim for a healthier skin journey, then there are things you can do to minimise or completely reverse the skin damage you’ve gotten through sunbeds. If you also wish to minimise the real sun's UV damage, consider things like wearing a mens full tracksuit from Avant Garde, hats and sunglasses to protect your skin from damage.