Tanning beds have been all the rage among celebrities. Some, like Hulk Hogan, even have their own tanning beds in their own homes! With tanning beds, we see a kind of luxury, and we use them most often to help us to stay tan even in the dead of winter, no matter how odd it may look. Tanning beds have also been used to treat SAD. But with all of the controversy surrounding tanning beds, that is one of the areas that they raised taxes on. It is a luxury, and some consider it like they consider cigarettes. You can call it a sin tax or whatever you want. But they have instituted this tax, driving it up to 10%.

But while some just want the tan at all costs, there are some that are basing their decisions on if the product is actually safe or not. One David Goldberg MD, director of Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists Of New York & New Jersey has stated that people should ”stay away from tanning beds at all costs.” He further explains that the bulbs used in tanning beds specifically emit ultraviolet A or UVA rays. The UVB rays are the ones often associated with burning. But UVA rays have specifically been linked to aging and cancer! They have made it clear that regular exposure is worse, and of course, one visit to the tanning salon in your whole life is not going to kill you.

The FDA has set regulations as to the longest periods of time one should use a tanning bed at any given time for a reason. Some choose to exceed this, though tanning salons of course only allow you to go for certain periods of time at their salons. The length of time you should spend in any tanning salon actually varies according to your skin type, melanin content, and other various components. But most choose to ignore the limits set by the FDA anyway at their own risk of course.

A recent study actually showed that out of 483 subjects at 50 tanning centers in North Carolina, some 95% of users exceeded FDA regulations on tanning beds. And they did it more than one time. Most dermatologists agree that regular exposure to tanning beds are obviously too much, and they actually do more harm to the skin than you would find with the regular sun.

If you want to get tan, the best way to do so is to use a good tanning lotion that will cover the skin in a sort of brown color. With this, you will be able to get an indoor tan in any season, and you will avoid the associated skin damage seen with tanning beds.