If tanning beds are not used properly, they can be very dangerous. Most tanning beds release very high and dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation which has been proved to cause premature aging. Tanning beds may cause burns, suppress immune systems, cause cosmetic and drug-induced photosensitivity, and create a higher risk of developing skin cancer.

Ultraviolet radiation is harmful to the DNA in your body. Overexposure to UV rays in tanning beds can damage the retina, burn the cornea, and change the structure of the lens so that it begins to cloud, forming a cataract in the course of time. Skin cancer caused largely due to exposure to UV radiation is the biggest danger of tanning beds. Skin specialists have identified that fair skinned people with light pigmentation are most susceptible to skin cancer. Therefore they should take extra care in regulating the dosage of UV exposure. The three types of skin cancer related to exposure to ultra violet rays are melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

If your family has a history of skin cancer then you should be extra cautions of using tanning beds. You can minimize the damages of tanning beds by taking some proper steps. Using good quality specific tanning lotions for tanning beds, protective tanning bed spectacles and the right amount of time spent in the treatment can make the experience rewarding and truly enriching.

Recently the World Health Organization issued a statement, backed by the National Institute of Health, recommending that no one under the age of eighteen should use an indoor tanning bed sensing the increasing use of tanning beds among the young people. But using tanning beds is not restricted by law. However, now most of the tanning salons put forward restrictions about usage but these are rules set up by the salon, not by the government.