Before you decide to get a so-called ‘safe tan’ from a tanning bed, 
find out what sun beds are really about…

Tanning parlours often claim that you can get a ‘safe tan’ in their beds because they use lights that emit mostly UVA radiation. It is widely believed that these types of lights will tan your skin without burning. The FACT is that your skin can be seriously burned from prolonged use of UVA tanning devices.

UVA radiation from the sun is known to penetrate deep into the skin and cause premature aging and skin cancer. What most people don’t know is that sun beds and sun lamps can emit 2-5 times more UVA radiation than natural sunlight! In addition, most tanning beds also emit a small amount of UVB radiation. This type of radiation is the main cause of sunburn and contributes to the development of skin cancer.

With these facts in mind, it is no surprise that sun bed users who are less than 30 years old and tan more than 10 times a year are 8 times more likely to develop malignant melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Here are some other tanning facts:

• Studies have shown that just 10 tanning bed sessions cause changes in skin cells, which are thought to be essential in the development of skin cancer.
• Use of tanning beds for 30 minutes a week over several months can cause skin to become fragile and will sometimes cause blistering.
• A condition known as ‘polymorphous light eruption’ can develop from sun bed exposure. It is a skin condition that causes itchy, red and bumpy skin.
• Use of tanning beds can also put you at risk for damage to the eye’s cornea and lens, possibly causing cataracts.
• UVA and UVB radiation has been classified as ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’, meaning that they probably cause cancer.
• There are NO regulations in place to control the levels of UVA and UVB radiation that you may be exposed to in tanning beds.
• Taking certain medications and using tanning beds may cause reactions such as blistering or a painful skin rash.
• It is a myth that getting a tan before heading south in the winter will protect your skin.

Remember … there is NO such thing as a safe tan!

For more information contact:
Canadian Cancer Society 
1-888-939-3333 

Canadian Dermatology Association
1-800-267-3376

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