A tan by any other name…
…will still age you, increase your risk of cancer, and break down your immune system.
A tan is a tan is a tan. Unless it comes out of a bottle it isn’t safe. No if, and’s, or but’s about it. So knowing this. Knowing that all the research in the world has linked sun damage (aka tanning) to the rise of many illnesses and disease, I have to ask myself why my clients are still doing it. The only answer I can come up with is I haven’t educated them enough. So here we go. Please pay attention!
So lets talk tanning. I know summer is here and everyone wants to look good with a “healthy” tan. But trust me, there’s nothing healthy about a suntan. The only safe tan is a fake tan. So let’s start from the top.
UVR or Ultraviolet Radiation
UVR comes in a few different forms, but when talking about tanning we are discussing UVA & UVB which are the rays in sunlight. UVA rays are known as the “aging” rays and consist of longer wavelengths that penetrate deep into the dermis – our “true” skin. UVB rays are knows as “burning” rays. They are shorter than UVA, affecting the top layers of skin – the epidermis.
Suntan (via the Mayo Clinic)
A suntan is the result of injury to the top layer of your skin. A tan develops when UV light accelerates the production of melanin – the pigment in your skin that makes up your color. The extra melanin produced to protect the deeper layers of skin oxidizes and darkens your pigment giving you a tan color. In essence, a suntan is your bodies defense mechanism against UVR rays. While you are tanning, your body is fighting to prevent further injury to the skin, but the protection only goes so far.
Sunburn (via the Mayo Clinic)
Eventually, ultraviolet light causes the skin to burn, bringing pain, redness and swelling. Depending on the severity of the burn, the dead, damaged skin may peel away to make room for new skin cells. Though the symptoms of sunburn may fade after several days, the damage to your skin remains. Sun exposure that is intense enough to cause a burn can also damage the DNA of skin cells. This damage sometimes leads to skin cancer.
People with darker skin pigment are less likely to burn because of the protective action of the melanocytes, which produce melanin. However, even those with darker skin types can burn with repeated exposures to UV light. This intense exposure can produce negative effects in the skin, including dry, rough patches, wrinkling and other skin disorders. So even though people with darker skin can tan and tolerate longer periods of sun exposure without “burning,” the sun can still cause skin damage.
Tanning Beds
Researchers estimate that a twenty-minute visit to the tanning booth is equivalent to spending a day at the beach. And contrary to most claims, there is no truth in getting a “base tan” in protecting against future sunburns. Tanning beds and sun lamps emit 93% to 99% UVA. This increases the speed of a tan allowing for a fast and even tan, but it’s also 3x the normal UVA the sun puts off. This means you are getting 3x the amount of UVA radiation without the usual burn this type of exposure would give you. Let me repeat that because it’s important. 3x the usual amount of UVA radiation, but no UVB to burn you. What does this mean to a tanning bed user? Well it’s the reasoning behind all the tanning bed propaganda like:
“Safer than the sun.”
“Good for your health.”
“Excellent source of vital Vitamin D.”
“Protect against bone loss.”
“Giving you a safe base coat to protect you from sun damage.”
You see, UVB creates immediate damage to the top layers of skin and is therefore considered the “dangerous” part of tanning. At least that’s what these companies want you to believe. Yet, ask experts about even limited exposure to UVA and they will give you hard, scientific data that UVA exposure leads to long-term skin damage such as cancer, DNA destruction, dysfunctional immune system, sun and eye burns, cataracts, and photosensitivity. So tanning bed companies claiming that their beds are “safer than the sun”, “good for your health”, or safe at all is like big tobacco claiming that smoking is safe and good for you. In fact, I often tell my clients that tanning is like smoking. It’s something you chose to do even though you know all the data points to it killing you.
Tanning Beds – The New Cigarette (via Elizabeth Carruth)
Studies have concluded that indoor tanning is directly linked to skin cancer, specifically malignant melanoma, and other numerous health problems. Although tanning industries claim that UVA radiation is safe, medical research disproves this theory. Researchers say that because UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, they destroy skin fibers and damage elasticity. Long-term effects of UVA rays include premature aging and wrinkles. They are also linked to malignant melanoma, damage to the immune system, weakening of the skin’s inner tissue, and other types of skin cancers… From his research, Dr. David Sidransky concluded that UVA radiation causes the same damage as UVB radiation to skin cells which leads to cancer. In cases where exposure to light was increased, it was more likely that the damage would exceed the constructive, cellular-repair mechanisms, and a tumor would be more likely to develop.
A study conducted in Sweden helps to prove that tanning beds are a major factor in the development of malignant melanoma. Different people, all under the age of 30, were included in the study. The data concluded that the people who used tanning beds more than 10 times a year were seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds as often. The study also concluded that melanoma risks are increased by 300% for those using tanning beds occasionally, and that the risks increase by 800% for those who use tanning beds more than 10 times a year.
A number of various authorities warn the public of the dangers of tanning devices, but if that isn’t enough for you here are some hard facts. A Dermatology Department in the United Kingdom conducted a study examining DNA damage in human fibroblasts cells after they were exposed to artificial tanning lamps. The study showed that it is highly likely that the lamps cause DNA damage that is directly related to the development of skin cancers, cutaneous effects, and damage to the immune system. They believed that the public should be warned about the dangers of using tanning beds. (Woollons, Clingen, Price, Arlett, & Green, 1997) This was in 1997. New studies have conclusively proven these same findings.
A study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in February 2002, found that people who used tanning devices were 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to develop common kinds of skin cancer than people who did not use the devices. Dr. Madeleine Duvic, professor and chairman ad interim of the Department of Dermatology at M. D. Anderson, said,
“Basically, the ultraviolet radiation given off tanning beds aren’t good for your skin. The longer ray UV-A radiation goes deeper into the skin than UV-B and does not protect you from a sunburn at the beach. Both UV-A and UV-B cause aging and skin cancer just like the sun. Use of phototherapy is immunosuppressive so when it is used to treat diseases, there is increased risk of getting a skin cancer. It’s like a safer cigarette. There is no such thing. There are no safe tans – they are a sign of DNA and skin damage.”
Dermatologists believe that tanning beds are a leading factor in skin cancer cases. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists tanning beds as possible health hazards, and the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) encourage people to avoid using tanning and sun lamps since they contribute to eye problems such as conjunctivitis and corneal infections. Ultraviolet rays can cause serious damage to the cornea and retina. Even the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) are fighting to ban the use of tanning equipment for non-medical purposes.
And Yet People Still Tan…
All the facts pile up to one conclusion. THERE IS NO SAFE TAN but a fake tan. I know brown is hot. I know it makes you feel sexy and healthy. But I am through talking. Talking doesn’t seem to be helping since skin cancer due to unprotected exposure is on the rise. So I am going to leave you with a look of your sexy future if you keep tanning.
Resources
A Healthy Glow? The Dangers of Tanning Salons by By Michael Woo-Ming M.D., MPH
Sun damage: The true price of tanning published by The Mayo Clinic
Do Tanning Beds Cause Skin Cancer and Other Harmful Effects? by Elizabeth Carruth
Miller, S.A., Hamilton, S.L., Wester, U.G., & Cyr, W.H. (1998). An analysis of UVA emissions from sunlamps and the potential importance for melanoma. Photochemistry and Photobiology; 68(1): 63-70. (abstract).
Swerdlow, A.J. & Weinstock, M.A. (1998). Do tanning lamps cause melanoma?. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology; 38(1): 89-98. (abstract).
DeMarini, D.M., Shelton, M.L., & Stankowski, L.F. (1995). Mutation spectra in Salmonella of sunlight, white fluorescent light, and light from tanning salon beds: induction of tandem mutations and role of DNA rapair. Mutation Research. 327(1-2): 131-149. (abstract).
Cress, R.D., Holly, E.A., & Ahn, D.K. (1995). Cutaneous melanoma in women. V. Characteristics of those who tan and those who burn when exposed to summer sun. Epidemiology; 6(5): 538-543. (abstract).
Woollons, A., Clingen, P.H., Price, M.L., Arlett, C.F., Green, M.H.L. (1997). Induction of mutagenic DNA damage in human fibroblasts after exposure to artificial tanning lamps. British Journal of Dermatology 1997; 137: 687-692.
Devgun, M.S., Johnson, B.E., & Paterson, C.R. (1981). Tanning, protection against sunburn and vitamin D formation with a UV-A ‘sun-bed.’ British Journal of Dermatology 1982; 107: 275-284.
Kennedy, M., Kim, K., Harten, B., Brown, J., Planck, S., Meshul, C.,Edelhauser, H., Rosenbaum, J.T., Armstrong, C.A., & Ansel, J.C. (1997). Ultraviolet Irradiation Induces the Production of Multiple Cytokines by Human Corneal Cells. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. Sept, 1997, Vol. 3, No. 10.