The Dangers of Tanning Beds
- Some TikTok users are reportedly “glamorizing” the usage of tanning beds. But melanoma survivor Courtney Mangan wants to remind people of the dangers they pose.
- Tanning beds are dangerous because they expose you to the same harmful UVA/UVB rays you get from the sun, but in the bed these rays reach you from only 6-8 inches away. Studies have shown that exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of skin cancer and ocular cancer.
- One of our experts says “spray tans and sunless tanning lotions are safe” if you’re seeking an alternative to tanning beds.
“It’s very triggering and it’s heartbreaking when I see it,” melanoma survivor Courtney Mangan told an Australian news outlet. “I see it all the time on TikTok, on Instagram, people talking about it and glamorizing it.”
Read MoreOne TikTok user showed off the results of her frequent tanning bed sessions to followers in a series of videos.@demsinesI got 3x 15 mins of Sun over three weeks. Wanted to show after each solarium visit that yes it looks red but calms down after a shower and tan gradually got even, natural and consistent.♬ Teenage Dirtbag – Sped Up (and she doesn’t give a damn about me) (Sped Up) – Wheatus & slater
“I got 3x 15 mins of Sun over three weeks,” she wrote. “Wanted to show after each solarium visit that yes it looks red but calms down after a shower and tan gradually got even, natural and consistent.”
That dangerous trend can occur, in part, because tanning beds are still legal in private settings. And Mangan wants to remind people of the dangers they pose since she’s seen people’s “scary” interest in them on social media.
“Melanoma is so aggressive and once it’s in your system, it’s really hard to get rid of,” Mangan said. “Smoking kills, so does tanning.”
Her seven-year cancer battle began from a mole on her shoulder. The melanoma has returned three times since her diagnosis.
“I went and had it checked by two GPs who said it was fine, and then I decided to go to a specialist and they sent it away for testing and it came back as a level four melanoma,” Mangan said. “The scars that you get from it (melanoma) or a dead body nothing sexy about that.”
But this problem of glamorizing tanning bed usage on social media is certainly not exclusive to Australia. One TikTok user from England shared her “top sunbed hacks” for followers to apply to their own tanning experience.
@nicolefreya_0 #CapCut ðŒð˜ð˜ ð“ðŽð ð’ð”ððð„ðƒ ð‡ð€ð‚ðŠð’ #sunbed #s#sunbedcks #sunbedcheck #tanningsalon #megasun #australiangold #sunbedshop #sunbed #sunbedtiktok #PrimarkSummerUp #fyp #like #follow #faketant #share ♬ Baby – Aitch & Ashanti
Another user from Scotland shared that she was on “day 89 of doing sunbeds 3 times a week until I have the tan that I desire.”
@louiseramage just need my armpits to tan now 😠#fyp #tanbed #sunbed #louiseramage ♬ sonido original – Esteve
“Just need my armpits to tan now,” she joked in her caption.
This specific user said the reason she needed the sunbeds so bad was because Scotland wasn’t sunny enough.
“Me sad knowing the only way to get a real tan in Scotland is to go for a sunbeds,” she wrote in another video.
The Dangers of Tanning Beds
Tanning beds should always be avoided to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Just one indoor tanning session can increase the risk of melanoma by 20 percent, squamous cell carcinoma by 67 percent and basal cell carcinoma by 29 percent, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
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When you hop into a bed, you are exposing yourself to the very same dangerous rays you expose yourself to outside but they're only 6-8 inches away. And in a study published in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, researchers suggest that banning tanning beds among minors would prevent thousands of cases of melanoma in adolescents, along with millions of dollars in healthcare costs.
So, even if the temptation of achieving a nice "glow" seems irresistible, you should note that health experts warn against using them.
"Studies have shown that exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of skin cancer and ocular cancer," says Dr. Lynn A. Cornelius, chief of the division of dermatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "It also induces changes that lead to premature aging of the skin. There is no 'safe' tanning bed."
Dr. Pavlick echoed Dr. Cornelius' statements by explaining that tanning beds increase your chances of melanoma "exponentially."
Tanning Salons Pose a Big Risk for Skin Cancer
"We know there is a direct correlation with [melanoma] patients who go to indoor tanning salons," Dr. Pavlick tells SurvivorNet, who notes that the exposure "is about 6 inches from your body."
The sun is millions of miles away when you're on a beach, "so you have to think of the intensity that you're exposing your skin to when you go to a tanning salon," she says.
Alternatives to the UV-Blasting Beds
If achieving the perfect tan is very important to you, there are other options to try instead of the UV-blasting beds or prolonged sun exposure. Temporary options like spray tans and self-tanning lotions are thought to be far better alternatives.
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"Spray tans and sunless tanning lotions are safe," Dr. Cornelius says. "One should take precautions not to inhale the product when getting a spray tan. Skin allergic reactions are rare."
Spray tans are a much safer alternative to tanning beds, but Dr. Craig Elmets, professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, says that not much is known about the side effects of spray tans.
"They even have a very mild sunscreen effect," he says, adding that applying sunblock is still recommended when going outdoors. "Not a lot is known about the side effects, but there is very limited absorption and they have been available for decades without any reports of serious side effects, which is reassuring."
Self-tanning pills are another option for people seeking a golden glow, but tanning pills are not FDA-approved or endorsed by dermatologists. Dr. Elmets notes that they have also been associated with allergic reactions and systemic side effects.
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