For most people, body image is as important, if not more important, than their overall heath. Self esteem is big business today and the tanning salon is part of this multibillion dollar industry. A lot of women, and men, too, use these places on a regular basis to develop and maintain an overall golden glow to their skin.

Some go to these places just for a tanning spray but the majority of their business comes from the use of tanning beds. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy to whether or not these devices are actually healthy for your skin. Having golden skin can be a boost to anyone’s self confidence and using tanning beds on a regular basis is a relaxing calm among a hectic life. Also, those who do tan in this fashion get the benefit of higher levels of vitamin D which promotes stronger teeth and bones.

The main benefit to using tanning beds is the speed and convenience. The appeal to most people of dropping in on their local tanning salon during their lunch for a quick fifteen minute session outweighs any harmful effects they might be receiving. Instead of sitting in the hot sun for several hours, which has been proven to be more harmful, artificial tanning offers a solution to those who have active lifestyles.

But is this solution worth the risks?
Recent studies have shown that exposure to the UV rays in tanning bed bulbs is a 100 times stronger than direct sunlight. This long term exposure can lead to the damage of your cornea and has been linked to causing cataracts. Most people use protective goggles when they tan, but there has been no proof that these devices are even helpful.

Using tanning salons on a regular basis can lead to overexposure as your chances of developing skin cancer from UV rays is equal to that of the sun. Most of these cancers can be cured, but some can be fatal.

For those that begin going using tanning beds at an early age, there are long term repercussions for these regular visits. UV rays cause premature aging of the skin and this can have devastating effects in teens as they grow.

The problem with using tanning beds comes down to the attitude of the consumer. Most believe that these things will not happen to them and want to look good now and worry about the consequences later.

Don’t risking looking good now for feeling worse later.

As summer approaches, teens begin to think about that new bikini they want to wear. As they stand in front of the mirror, they realize that the winter months have made them a little pale and it’s time to pay a visit to the local tanning salon.

Self confidence is very important to teen girls and daily struggles with self-esteem, weight, and acne seem to be washed away by a nice healthy golden glow to their skin.
But is tanning healthy?

Recent studies by the World Health Organization have raised concerns about the dangers of tanning. When taken too far, natural and artificial tanning can be dangerous and even more so in teens. This risk is even more apparent when using tanning salons. Tanning beds use UV lighting to control the tanning process. This ultraviolet light is no different than being exposed to direct sunlight as it gives off the same UVA and UVB rays.

UVB rays are much like the sun’s direct beams and in some tanning beds, these levels have been found at three times the normal exposure. But the real threat is in UVA radiation as these rays penetrate deeper and can cause real damage. Recent studies of tanning salons have shown that a lot of the beds used have ten to fifteen times the normal levels of UVA radiation.
Comparing these figures to a hot sunny day, using a tanning bed has almost twice the level of exposure than direct sunlight.

Overexposure to these UV rays, especially on young developing skin, can cause long term damage like early aging, sun spots, wrinkles, and skin cancer.

One of the main concerns with teens and tanning salons deals with acne. Most teenagers struggle with this problem on daily basis and use either over-the-counter or doctor prescribed medications. These medications can have harmful reactions if exposed too long to ultraviolet lights resulting in blistering and dermal burning.

When teens start to use tanning salons at a young age, there tends to be an elevated and long term usage of these facilities throughout their life. Most, despite being aware of the potential damage, choose to ignore these warnings and continue to use tanning beds well into adult life. Later, as their skin looses the ability to look young, these older women find that they are spending more money on anti-aging creams and skin rejuvenation products than women who never used artificial tanning.

It is this vicious cycle of premature aging/anti-aging that propels the skin care industry into a multi-billion empire built on the skin of teens and women who refuse to accept the beauty that resides within.