Are Home Tanning Beds Dangerous For Your Health?

Tanning beds have proven to be very popular because they offer users the advantages of time savings and cost savings.  Regular visits to the tanning salon can often be difficult to maintain in a busy schedule.  And pay-per-session costs can really add up over time, especially to maintain a perfect tan.  So many people who have the budget and the room for a home tanning bed have opted to get their tans at home.  But what about health and safety?  Are home tanning beds dangerous for your health?

Both commercial tanning beds and home tanning beds used artificial light to create the ultraviolet rays that are necessary to produce a tan.  Even though the bulbs are man-made and artificial, the light they produce has the same composition as natural sunlight.  Tanning beds were first introduced in 1978 and became popular very quickly, because suddenly it was possible to maintain a year-round tan.  And not only was it possible to improve your appearance, but you could achieve that naturally good feeling most people get from exposure to the sun, regardless of the weather.

Tanning bed enthusiasts maintain the tanning beds are much safer and healthier than tanning under natural sunlight.  Tanning beds offer more control, both of the UV components of the light and the time spent in the light.  Sunlight actually contains two types of ultraviolet rays: UVA, which penetrates deeply into the skin and UVB, which is what burns the top layer of your skin.  Of the two, UVB is more dangerous to your health.  Today's commercial tanning beds and home tanning beds reduce a UVB light by as much as 40%.

Like most things, whether or not you will experience any damaging effects from your home tanning bed depends on the way that you use it.  If you have fair skin, most experts recommend that you avoid tanning entirely.  Fair-skinned individuals are especially susceptible to the negative effects of exposure to sunlight.  Everyone using a tanning bed should use an appropriate lotion of some type.  The tanning lotion will provide extra protection from the ultraviolet rays and will also help replenish moisture that's lost during the tanning process.  Because the light used in commercial and home tanning beds is unnaturally bright, eye protection should be worn during any tanning sessions.

Many have praised the introduction of new vertical tanning booths, because it is felt that they are not as unhealthy as traditional horizontal tanning beds.  So far, the vertical design has only been seen in commercial tanning beds.  Home tanning beds do not seem to have adopted this new vertical style yet.  Vertical tanning booths operate more quickly, with sessions often as short as three minutes.  So vertical tanning booths offer a faster tan with shorter exposure to dangerous UV rays.  Vertical tanning booths are also more sanitary and hygienic because the design results in less body-to-equipment contact.

Home tanning beds, as well as commercial tanning beds, offer positive health effects as well.  Because a tan is perceived as healthy, sporting a good tan can help you feel better about yourself.  Exposure to sunlight is well-known for its ability to elevate your mood and improve your state of mind.  Exposure to sunlight also stimulates the production of vitamin D and helps your body increase its own supply of melanin.

Thanks to modern health research, we all have a greater awareness of the skin damage and health risks that excess exposure to the sun can cause.  Yet, many people still value a good tan and believe that the benefits outweigh the potential risks.  Commercial tanning beds offered a healthy alternative to time in the sun by helping to provide a quick tan under safer conditions.  Home tanning beds continue to provide a healthier way to obtain a year-round tan. 

As is true with almost everything in life, moderation is the key.  Excess use of tanning beds can be dangerous to your health.  But sensible use according to recommendations provides you with the tan that you're looking for, without the risks of exposure to natural sunlight. Stick to sessions lasting 20 minutes or less. Always wait 48 hours between sessions. Never disable the external timer. And make sure all the components of your tanning bed are well-maintained.