What’s wrong with going to a tanning parlor?
What’s wrong with going to a tanning parlor?
Tanning parlors make your skin age and wrinkle Remember that Ultraviolet light comes in basically two types of wavelengths?
UV-B light which is the shorter wavelength, is the type of light that causes a burn.
UV-B only penetrates the skin superficially–just into the top layer of the skin called the epidermis.
The harmful effects of UV-B stimulates the epidermis to produce more pigment, a tan, to protect itself.
UV-A is a longer wavelength form of radiation that reaches the earth’s surface all year.
This longer wavelength penetrates the skin more deeply and can reach the dermis or middle layer of the skin where the collagen and blood vessels are.
It is thought that UV-A, because it penetrates so deeply, is responsible for much of the aging of our skin–sagging collagen and weaker skin, plus UV-A probably contributes to immunosuppression which means an decrease of the skin’s ability to fight off skin cancer.
UV-A does two interesting this to skin color:
It produces an ‘immediate pigment darkening’ which means our natural pigment looks darker in a matter of hours; and UV-A gradually turns on some melanin or pigment formation to try to protect the dermis from the radiation.
Tanning parlors or salons use concentrated forms of UV-A to turn on this skin darkening.
By limiting UV-B, there is less of a chance of burning–but remember, you can still get burned from UV-A.
More importantly, your skin is suffering from the effects of all that UV-A!
Dermatologists can often spots folks who have used sunbeds or tanning booths whwen a skin examination is performed. This is because the skin looks older on areas not normally exposed to the sun-such as the low back or buttocks.
Just imagine what all the UV-A does to the rest of your skin!
Read more about the dangers of tanning parlor use to your skin:
MY VIEW: Anita O. Day Posted: February 6, 2009