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What Type of UV Radiation Is Released by a Tanning Bed?

Tanning beds offer a quick, effective and convenient way to acquire a tan. Despite claims that tanning beds provide a harmless alternative to natural sunlight, the World Health Organization states that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun or artificial sources such as tanning beds, damages the skin and increases the risk of developing skin cancer.

  1. UV Radiation Types

    • There are three types of UV radiation. UVA rays deeply penetrate the skin and cause skin aging. UVB rays are stronger than UVA rays and affect the skin's upper layers by causing sunburn. UVC rays are the strongest of the three, but are absorbed by the atmosphere before they can reach the Earth's surface.

    Artificial UV Radiation

    • Tanning beds emit predominantly UVA radiation. Like UVB rays that have long been implicated in the development of skin cancer, the World Health Organization contends that recent studies indicate a relationship between prolonged exposure to UVA rays and increased skin cancer occurrences. Cancers associated with tanning bed use include malignant melanoma and squamous and basal cell carcinomas.

    Consequences

    • Regular tanning bed use subjects one to the possibility of premature death from malignant melanoma, disfigurement resulting from the removal of all types of skin cancer and premature skin aging. According to the World Health Organization, in addition to patient suffering, an increase in skin cancers associated with tanning-bed use would generate " substantial costs to national health systems for screening, monitoring and treating skin cancer patients."

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