Indoor Tanning Myths

Indoor tanning has become an increasingly popular way to get a tan fast, but there are quite a few persistent myths about the safety of this practice.
  1. Fried Internal Organs

    • The most widely-held tanning myth is that your insides will get fried from too much UV exposure in a tanning bed. UV rays do have the potential to penetrate your skin, and could possibly cause skin cancer, but they are simply not powerful enough to reach your internal organs.

    Indoor vs. Outdoor Tanning

    • Another common myth is that tanning indoors is more dangerous than tanning outdoors. While it is true that too much sun exposure can be harmful, this truth applies to both forms of tanning. If done in moderation, indoor tanning is no more or less dangerous than lying out in the sun.

    AIDS

    • There is another strange rumor that you can become infected with AIDS by lying in a tanning bed, and this is obviously false. The only way to contract HIV, the condition that leads to AIDS, is through a direct exposure to the bodily fluids of a person who is infected.

Public Health - Related Articles