Skin Health – Dangers of Tanning Beds

A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30. Experts also found that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused worrying mutations in mice, proof the radiation is carcinogenic. Previously, only one type of ultraviolet radiation was thought to be lethal.

The research was published online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology recently, by experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization.

“People need to be reminded of the risks of sunbeds,” said Vincent Cogliano, one of the cancer researchers. “We hope the prevailing culture will change so teens don’t think they need to use sunbeds to get a tan.”

Most lights used in tanning beds give off mainly ultraviolet radiation, which cause skin and eye cancer, according to the International Agency for Cancer Research.  Cogliano cautioned that ultravoilet radiation is not healthy, whether it comes from a tanning bed or from the sun.

To read a related blog, please click on “How does the sunlight damage the skin?”

To read more about how you can protect and repair your skin, please click on our series of blogs under Skin Health.