Tanning salons are a booming business in Western society, bringing in profits in excess of $5 billion a year in the States. Many people feel healthier and more attractive when they have a tan, but there are great concerns about the dangers of tanning beds. So what are the facts?

It is a myth that you are only at risk of developing skin cancer if you burn and that therefore tanning beds are a safe alternative. Modern tanning beds emit greater levels of UVA than UVB. UVA rays are less likely than UVB to cause burns but the tanning bulbs multiply the radiation causing them to penetrate deeper, and they are still classified as a carcinogen. Frequent sun bed users are twice as likely to develop basal cell cancer as those who do not use tanning beds. They are also 55 percent more likely to develop the most deadly form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, which can spread into the lymph system, bones and the organs. Your chances of successful treatment are much greater if it is caught early. The signs to look out for are moles which are asymmetrical, have a ‘ragged’ appearance to their edges, changes in size or which have a range of different pigmentation within one mole.

People who naturally have very little melanin in their skin – those who are very fair skinned, freckled, burn easily or tan very little in the sun – are at the greatest risk of developing skin problems from the use of tanning beds. Teens are also at greater risk of tanning bed side effects, which is believed by some scientists and dermatologists to be a result of an immature immune system and the fact that they are still growing at a cellular level. Anyone below the age of 18 should avoid tanning beds altogether and should look at alternatives such as sunless tanning lotions (fake tan).

Both the UVA and UVB radiation from tanning beds is linked to a greater risk of developing eye disorders such cataracts and cancer of the retina, which can lead to blindness. The likelihood of developing eye problems can be reduced by always wearing protective goggles during your tanning bed sessions. The harmful ultraviolet rays can also damage the immune system.

As well as posing risks to health, excessive use of tanning beds can cause dry, itchy skin. In the long term tanning beds are also responsible for premature ageing. This is particularly noticeable on the face where the skin is thinner and more prone to developing fine lines, but the skin of the body as a whole is likely to become saggy and wrinkled, and may also take on a ‘leathery’ appearance.