10 Surprising Facts About Indoor Tanning
The only way that a person can have a naturally darker complexion is if he or she is born with a higher melanin content. If you have become darker with your age, it is most probably the tanning from being in the sun that hasn’t been treated or removed. So, if you are trying to get a certain colour for your skin through tanning in the sun or on the tanning beds in salons, you must know that you’re causing irreparable damage to your skin. While tanning on the beach in the sun might feel sexy afterwards, doing so in the heat of the afternoon is certainly going to give you terrible skin burns and increase the risk of skin infections and cancers.
A lot of doctors do suggest taking a sunbath for natural synthesis of Vitamin D but they suggest doing so in the early hours of the morning when the sun rays are not harmful. The midday sun is much closer to the ground and the UV rays pierce through the skin damaging the natural composition of the skin cells. Beauty standards for some people have made them go for indoor tanning machines in spas which they believe are safer than the sun. This is, however, a lie that has been promoted by the salons to mint money by burning your skin and then later selling you more services for the ageing skin later. So, here’s the complete list of facts and myths about indoor tanning which makes removing tan more difficult.
1. Tanning beds are not safer than the sun
The sun certainly has rays that might be bad for the skin but those rays are actually emitted only during a few hours of the day when it’s above our heads. The indoor tanning beds in fact have synthesised rays that tan your skin and these rays are far more cancerous than the sun. Rays from the tanning beds increase chances for squamous cell carcinoma by 58% and basal cell carcinoma by 24%, both of which are not fatal but are painful and aggressive skin cancers. Tanning beds, when used before the age of 20, increases the chances of having melanoma by 75% and that is the deadly skin cancer doctors warn you about.
2. Any form of tanning increases ageing
Tanning is the highest risk factor for early ageing. Tanning, whether it is under the sun or tanning bed, causes the skin to lose firmness. It increases the wrinkles which by the way show up earlier in life. For people who use tanning beds, it is possible to get leathery skin which is never the case for people who never tan. The most common side effect of indoor tanning is that the skin gets a higher number of age spots and the skin becomes loose in all areas.
3. Indoor tanning causes serious injuries
There are a lot of cases of that are being treated in hospitals. Indoor tanning is done by machines and sometimes without expert supervision. One little misstep can cause serious burns and even make you lose your eyesight in the process.
4. Getting a base tan doesn’t prevent sunburn
The most ridiculous misconception that has been shrouded as a fact by spas is that getting a slight base tan will prevent the skin from getting further skin burns. It doesn’t matter whether your skin is brown or white, sunburns will still occur if you’re out when the sun is the hottest in the sky.
5. Indoor tanning doesn’t give you Vitamin D
People believe that tanning indoors will give them the same effect as a sunbath. So they use tanning beds, thinking it will also give them Vitamin D. The fact is that only the natural sunlight in the early morning hours are the best to get Vitamin D. Tanning beds use UVA lights which give you burns whereas the sun gives UVB light which helps the body synthesise vitamin D.
6. You can become addicted to tanning
There are various studies that show that people who have used indoor tanning beds too many times find it difficult to stop. Even though they are already tanned, they are addicted to the UVA rays that the tanning beds emit, without which they feel lethargic and depressed.
7. Tanning increases appearance of stretch marks
Tanning indoors to create a darker complexion can cause stretch marks to show up more clearly. The skin on stretch marks is comparatively new and doesn't get affected by tanning so fast, causing them to seem even bolder.
8. Spreading false information to consumers
Most of the cosmetic procedures brought to the market are based on false information which misleads people. Indoor tanning is one such thing. Most spas and salons promote this process by convincing people that they would be looking better with a darker complexion or that their low moods can be cured by taking in Vitamin D from the tanning machine. The reality is that people who are easily influenced fall in their trap and spend their money on tanning beds. They not only waste money but also expose themselves to cancers and early ageing, which ironically makes them look older and unattractive instead.
9. Causing body dysphoria
Tanning salons may be telling you that a tan would look fabulous on you but they are in turn causing dysphoria in your mind. You start to doubt whether you were born with the right skin and that maybe you need to tan more to look better. Not only that, when after years of tanning you start seeing irreversible signs of ageing and early heavy wrinkles with contused skin, the realisation gives you a lot of guilt trips. Removing the effects of tan then becomes difficult and sorrowful.
10. Not tanning in hot sun or indoor tanning beds increase life expectancy
Yes, not burning yourself up to change your skin colour increases your life expectancy as you stay away from harmful skin burns and DNA altering tan which causes cancers. Taking early morning sun baths instead of tanning is better to improve immunity and elevate moods.
Indoor tanning or midday sun tans can be harmful to your skin. Thus, removing tan is important for all who are exposed to high heat sun during summers. Try the Qraamen De-tan Scrub for Men. Enriched with tea tree oil, clove oil and lemon extracts, it soothes and lightens tanned skin.