Most teenagers don't even realize the horrible things they are doing to themselves every time they lay in the beds.
The ultra violet rays (UVA &UVB rays) coming off the bulbs are actually hurting their skin. Being tan is in fact not healthy. The creation of melanin, the chemical in your body that creates the brown color, is your skin's reaction to getting damaged. Another thing the tanners could potentially get from tanning in the beds is skin cancer which can sometimes be deadly. Ultra violet radiation, which is just the radiation from the light source to you skin, is what is so dangerous. Tanning to the common teenager is cool to do, yet they don't know why they get tan besides the light source, they also don't think the superficial problems will happen to
them. There are many not-so-beautiful things that arise later in life from prolonged tanning or bad burns. The skin is a very delicate organ which after being damaged from sun exposure can sag, wrinkle, obtain a leathery texture, and have a blotchy discoloration (National 4). According to one teen, "I'm going to get old and look bad anyway. I'd rather look good now" (Catching 3). It is known that the damage happens to mare people with fair complexions, which is why people who have fair skin should not go tanning. The reason skin sags is because the way the skin is structurally put together gets damaged by UVR. According to Wayne Mercer from body building.com:
What many of the natural tanners don't realize is that the rays from the sun are radiation similar to that of any radioactive isotope. The radiation pierces through your skin, and then physically changes your very own DNA into a mutant form, which often times causes you to develop skin cancer. (Mercer 1) There are also metabolic disorders that can be brought out by exposure to UVR, such as lupus erythematosus and polymorphous light eruption. These are brought out by certain wavelengths of the UVR spectrum. These disorders can also occur because of an interaction of commonly used drugs and UVR, as well as chemicals used in household products. There are a few types of skin cancer you can get from the exposure to the UVA & UVB rays. Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) are the most common type of skin cancer of white people. It looks like a sore or mole, and are usually found on the head and neck region. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a type of skin cancer that is a tumor under the skin, which needs to be removed by surgery. Usually people with lower amounts of melanin are more susceptible to getting the skin cancer tumors. Tanning does have some benefits. Exposure to UVB creates vitamin D, which is essential for normal growth and development of the skeleton. Tanning can also be beneficial in the winter when it is cold out and you don't want to be outside or if the weather is overcast for a very long time. The warmness in the winter will just make you feel good, and it has been said that when it is gloomy outside, people tend to be more depressed, and by going to a tanning salon the brightness of the lights can sometimes boost your spirit. Not only are teenagers putting themselves at a greater risk for getting a number of diseases and premature aging, they are wasting their money on something that could potentially kill them. And like tobacco companies, I think tanning corporations should have to put a certain amount of their profits in a fund so people in the future who are likely to sue for getting cancer from tanning beds, will get money. Teenagers need to realize that being tan is just a fad and the long term effects greatly out weigh the short term tan. A good alternative to going tanning would be to use selftanning products. These are sprays or lotions that have pigments in them that dye your skin a brownish color, then a chemical in the tanner will make your skin keep the color. Not only are there sprays and lotions you can buy in stores, you can now go to salons or even tanning salons to get the solution sprayed on you, by either a big machine mister or a person with an airbrush. These do not give the same effects for people who have gone tanning for a long time, however fair skinned people who don't tan anyway feel this is the best option for them, since it doesn't cause cancer. Tanning beds and teenagers are not a good thing; tanning at a young age puts you at greater risk for developing skin cancers or related diseases, as well as premature aging. Tanning salons should not be allowed to put teenagers' lives in danger by letting them use the beds at such young ages, just to make money. Many of these young people don't know the risks associated with tanning, or think it won't happen to them. If any of you have younger siblings that go tanning and you parents let them, you should tell them that they are potentially putting their life in danger, all for a tan.