Tanning Beds Cause Same Damage as Sun

This summer everyone is looking to achieve that ‘healthy sun kissed glow.’ Unfortunately, that glow is nothing more than the beginning of sun damage. In fact, tans and sunburn have the same harmful effect on your skin.

Both sunburns and tans cause DNA damage to your skin, which increases your risk of developing melanoma. To make matters worse, a lot of people are increasing their exposure to damaging UV radiation and their risk for developing melanoma by turning to tanning beds.

Tanning beds often exceed “safe” UV limits, despite the claims of salons. The risk has become so great that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued an order to reclassify sunlamps and ultraviolet lamp products used for indoor tanning from low-risk to moderate-risk devices. This reclassification brings stricter regulations to help protect consumers and public health.

The order also includes a strong recommendation against the use of tanning beds by minors under the age of 18. Teens are at a special risk because their bodies are still developing – as their bodies change their cells are more prone to the damage of UV radiation. This puts them at a greater risk of developing skin cancer later in life.

While these stricter regulations are a step in the right direction, we still have a long way to go when it comes to protecting our skin from UV radiation. If you are trying to achieve that ‘summer glow,’ look to alternative options like spray tans or tanning lotions. These low-risk options help add color to your skin without causing the damage that a tan from UV rays would.

To browse Greenville Dermatology’s line of sun-safe products, stop by our retail store. Or to schedule your annual skin screening, call 864-282-5872 today.