Over the last few years, tanning salons have increased in popularity. However, there may be an additional price to pay for an artificial tan.
A report published by the Joint Committee on Exposure to Ultraviolet Rays and Artificial Tanning, entitled Artificial Tanning in Quebec, Review of Knowledge, and Recommendations urges caution in the quest for a year-round tan. The Committee, composed of doctors and scientists from Quebec's Department of Health and Social Services and its health network, the Association of Dermatologists of Quebec and the Association of Ophthalmologists of Quebec, summarized the research findings on artificial tanning and made certain recommendations.
According to the report, almost 61% of people who regularly visit a tanning salon are between age 18 and 34, and 68% are women. Users of tanning beds and devices say their main motivation is esthetic: to maintain a tan throughout the year. However, the report suggests that an artificial tan carries greater risks than a natural tan.
Artificial Tans
Ultraviolet (UV) rays occupy a specific band in the electromagnetic spectrum. They fall into three categories: UVA, UVB, and UVC. The rays used in tanning beds are mainly UVA, and their radiation is three times the strength of the sun.
Artificial tanning could therefore be extremely harmful to your skin, causing anything from a simple sunburn to severe damage to the DNA of the epidermal cells. The report also mentions other possible effects of exposure to concentrated UV rays, including premature ageing of the skin, characterized by dry, thickened skin, a weather-beaten appearance, wrinkles, and skin degeneration. The parts of the body most affected by this problem are the face, neck, back, arms and hands.
The report also mentions that excessive exposure to tanning bed rays could increase the risk of cancer or infectious disease by weakening the immune system. Finally, it is as vital to wear protective sunglasses as if out in the natural sun.
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