Shocking Facts about Solarium Tanning
What is solarium?
The solarium (sunbed, tanning bed) is a special tanning machine that produces ultraviolet radiation. The skin of a person produces melanocytes under the influence of solarium rays.
There are different levels of tanning in accordance with the power and tan color that you choose in solarium.
In the era of cosmetology services development, solariums are popular among women and men. However, there are some indefinable myths and shocking facts about this procedure. Let’s list and sort out the existing facts about solarium use.
Shocking Facts about Solarium Tanning:
Fact 1: The sun is less harmful than tanning in solarium
Lamps in tanning machines emit 98% of the UVA spectrum. They generate 15 times more radiation than the sun. Rays have a direct effect on the skin and even the ozone layer, cloudiness, or any other factors cannot intervene in this process.
For this reason, melanin, the pigment responsible for the golden hue of the skin, is produced faster in the solarium. You just need to visit the solarium and spend a couple of minutes rather than lying under the sun for a few hours.
The results of researches dedicated to the topic “What does harm more: solarium or the sun?” are very different. According to statistics of different oncologists: 170 tanning sessions in a tanning salon increases the risk of developing oncology by 50%. It turns out that visiting the solarium, even once a month during 15 years will count this 170 sessions.
It is important to note: sunscreens that you use on the beach are not suitable for tanning sessions in solariums. Tanning specialists have created special tools for this procedure. In addition, it is very important to protect your hair while tanning because it loses moisture and becomes dry from UV rays. Use special glasses in order to prevent so-called “white blindness” – a disease when the sensitivity of your eyes increases.
Fact 2: Vitamin D is produced in solarium.
Unfortunately, many people in different countries and cities have vitamin D deficiency because of the lack of sun exposure. However, you can get it in the solarium.
In some cases, doctors also recommend to take special medications to normalize vitamin D levels in a body.
Fact 3: Your body may become addicted to tanning seasons.
Specialists describe a psychological disorder which is called tanorexia and characterize it with the obsessive need to be tanned regardless of the season. Mostly, the target of this disorder is – teenagers under 25.
In order to prevent the development of this disorder, some European scientists declared that tanning is forbidden for people under 18.
Tanorexia may cause your skin to become dry, dehydrated and rough. However, people who suffer from this disorder do not care about the negative effects and continue to visit the solarium. Doctors recommend to visit psychologist in order to take actions and stop this addiction as soon as possible.
Fact 4: Solarium visitation don’t go well with health conditions.
There is a row of diseases when tanning in solarium or under the sun is prohibited: diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, tuberculosis, some diseases of the cardiovascular system.
In addition, specialists recommend to refrain from UV while taking certain medications such as hormonal drugs, antidepressants, and others.
Fact 5: No solarium visitations before the sea season.
Many people believe that it is necessary to visit solarium before facing the “equatorial” sun in order to prepare skin. However, this is not true.
When you visit the solarium, your body does produce melanin which protects against UV. However, it covers only first layer of the skin. Thus, you can replace this procedure with the 50 SPF cream.
To Summarize
These are the main shocking facts about solarium tanning. To sum up, solarium visitation is a harmless when you do it wisely. If used too much, it can be very harmful.
A couple of minutes in a solarium tanning bed gives you the tan you would get laying for couple of hours under the sun. You can also get vitamin D while tanning in solarium tanning bed.
Tanning sessions may become very addictive and may turn into a medical condition, so, be careful. Everything is better in moderation. Also, if you have any health issues, consult your physician before tanning in solariums.
