Buzz - Student Health Services Newsletter
(Vol. 2) |
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Sun Safety
The following information was taking from the Federal Trade Commission
website.
"Tan
indoors with absolutely no harmful side effects"
"No burning, no drying,
and no sun damage"
"Unlike the sun, indoor
tanning will not cause skin cancer or skin aging" |
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Beware of claims like these. Ads that claim indoor tanning devices
are a safe alternative to outdoor tanning may be false.
Tanning indoors damages your skin. That’s because indoor
tanning devices emit ultraviolet rays. Tanning occurs when the skin
produces additional pigment (coloring) to protect itself against
burn from ultraviolet rays. Overexposure to these rays can cause
eye injury, premature wrinkling of the skin, and light-induced skin
rashes, and can increase your chances of developing skin cancer.
Contents
- Tanning Devices
- Advertising Claims
- Protecting Yourself
- A Word About Sunscreens
- Regulation
- Questions
- Websites
Tanning Devices
The most popular device used in tanning salons is a clamshell-like
tanning bed. The customer lies down on a Plexiglas surface as lights
from above and below reach the body.
Many older tanning devices used light sources that emitted shortwave
ultraviolet rays (UVB) that actually caused burning. Aware of the
harmful effects of UVB radiation, salon owners began using tanning
beds that emit mostly longwave (UVA) light sources. Some salons
claim this is safe. While UVA rays are less likely to cause burning
than UVB rays, they are suspected to have links to malignant melanoma
and immune system damage.
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Advertising Claims
Here are some claims commonly made about indoor tanning —
and the facts.
"You can achieve a deep year-round tan with gentle, comfortable,
and safe UVA light."
Ultraviolet light is divided into two wavelength bands. Shortwave
ultraviolet rays called UVB can burn the outer layer of skin. Longwave
ultraviolet rays called UVA penetrate more deeply and can weaken
the skin’s inner connective tissue.
Long-term exposure to the sun and to artificial sources of ultraviolet
light contributes to the risk of developing skin cancer. Two types
of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell, are treatable if detected
early. Melanoma, another type of skin cancer, can be fatal.
"No harsh glare, so no goggles or eye shades are necessary."
Studies show that too much exposure to ultraviolet rays, including
UVA rays, can damage the retina. Overexposure can burn the cornea,
and repeated exposure over many years can change the structure of
the lens so that it begins to cloud, forming a cataract. Left untreated,
cataracts can cause blindness.
The Food and Drug Administration requires tanning salons to direct
all customers to wear protective eye goggles. Closing your eyes,
wearing ordinary sunglasses, and using cotton wads do not protect
the cornea from the intensity of UV radiation in tanning devices.
Long-term exposure to natural sunlight also can result in eye damage,
but in the sun, people generally are more aware that their eyelids
are burning. Under indoor UV lights, exposed skin remains cool to
the touch. In addition, the intensity of lights used in tanning
devices is much greater — and potentially more damaging to
the eyes — than the intensity of UV rays in natural sunlight.
"Tan year round without the harmful side effects often associated
with natural sunlight."
Exposure to tanning salon rays increases the damage caused by sunlight.
This occurs because ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making
it less able to heal.
Unprotected exposure to utltraviolet rays also results in premature
skin aging. A tan is damaged skin that is more likely to wrinkle
and sag than skin that hasn’t been tanned. Over time, you
may notice certain undesirable changes in the way your skin looks
and heals. According to some skin specialists, skin that has a dry,
wrinkled, leathery appearance early in middle age is a result of
UV exposure that occurred in youth.
"No danger in exposure or burning."
Whether you tan indoors or out, studies show the combination of
ultraviolet rays and some medicines, birth control pills, cosmetics,
and soaps may accelerate skin burns or produce painful adverse skin
reactions, such as rashes. In addition, tanning devices may induce
common light-sensitive skin ailments like cold sores.
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Protecting Yourself
- Limit your exposure to avoid sunburn. If you
tan with a device, ask whether the manufacturer or the salon staff
recommend exposure limits for your skin type. Set a timer on the
tanning device that automatically shuts off the lights or somehow
signals that you’ve reached your exposure time. Remember
that exposure time affects burning and that your age at the time
of exposure is important relative to burning. Studies suggest
that children and adolescents are harmed more by equivalent amounts
of UVB rays than adults. The earlier you start tanning, the earlier
skin injury may occur.
- Use goggles to protect your eyes. Ask whether
safety goggles are provided and if their use is mandatory. Make
sure the goggles fit snugly. Check to see that the salon sterilizes
the goggles after each use to prevent the spread of eye infections.
- Consider your medical history. If you are undergoing
treatment for lupus or diabetes or are susceptible to cold sores,
be aware that these conditions can be aggravated through exposure
to ultraviolet radiation from tanning devices, sunlamps, or natural
sunlight. In addition, your skin may be more sensitive to artificial
light or sunlight if you use certain medications — for example,
antihistamines, tranquilizers or birth control pills. Your tanning
salon may keep a file with information on your medical history,
medications, and treatments. Make sure you update it as necessary.
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A Word About Sunscreens
Chances are you spend some time in natural sunlight. You still
could benefit from using sunscreens with sun protection factor (SPF)
numbers of 15 or more. The SPF number gives you some idea of how
long you can stay in the sun without burning. For example, if you
normally burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen, you should be protected
from burn for 150 minutes using SPF 15. Swimming and perspiration
reduce the actual SPF value for many sunscreens, so be sure to reapply
even if the product is water-resistant.
While all sunscreens provide some level of protection against UVB
rays, no product screens out all UVA rays. Some may advertise UVA
protection, but there’s no system yet for rating UVA protection.
Even when you use a sunscreen with a high SPF number, there’s
no way to know how much UVA protection you’re getting.
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Regulation
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) share responsibilities in the regulation of sunlamps and tanning
devices. The FDA enforces regulations that deal with labels on the
devices; the FTC investigates false, misleading, and deceptive advertising
claims about the devices. When these agencies determine that device
labels don’t comply with the regulations or that advertisements
are not truthful, they may take corrective action. The FDA also
can remove products from the marketplace.
Sun Safety
To decrease the risk of damaging your skin you must decrease your
exposure to the sun or artificial light. However, if you must be
out in the sun please take some precautions. First of all, try to
limit your exposure to the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and
2p.m. Wear loose, light colored, long sleeved shirts when out in
the sunlight and also wear a wide brimmed hat to decrease the chance
of burning your neck and ears (don't forget about your feet). When
selecting a sunscreen make sure it has a Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
of at least 15 and apply it at least 30 minutes before going outside,
and reapply often. One thing often overlooked is the role of different
prescription and nonprescription drugs and how they can heighten
the skins sensitivity to light. So if you are taking any medications
please ask your pharmacist if there are any side effects. Now you
might ask yourself what should I do if I get a sunburn. You can
use a number of topical analgesics with ingredients such as benzocaine,
lidocaine, camphor or phenol that may temporarily soothe the pain
of a mild burn. Moisterizers such as cocoa butter and petroleum
can help reliever the dryness when burned skin begins to peel. If
you have a severe sunburn of if your skin is blistered you should
seek a medical professional for treatment.
www.skincheck.org
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Tanning Questions
Are TANNING BOOTHS less dangerous than a NATURAL tan from the
sun?
The fact is that the UVA rays that are emitted from the ultraviolet
light sources in tanning salons are TWO to THREE times more powerful
than the UVA rays which occur naturally from the sun.
Why isn't closing my eyes in the booth good enough?
Eyelids are NOT made of ultraviolet blocking material. Burns to
the eyes are the most common type of injury sustained among indoor
tanners. It is critical to wear federally approved protective eyewear
designed for indoor tanning. If you choose not to use these glasses,
it may result in damage to the cornea, retina, and lens which in
turn can lead to cataracts, night or color blindness.
I have read that Tanning Pills and Other Tanning Products are
SAFE, is this True?
(question taken from the American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org)
Several products that claim to give a tan without UV radiation
carry safety risks, too. These include so-called "tanning pills"
containing carotenoid color additives derived from substances similar
to beta-carotene, the substance that gives carrots their orange
color. The additives are distributed throughout the body, especially
the skin, making it orange. Although the FDA has approved some of
these additives for coloring food, it has not approved them for
use in tanning agents. And, at the high levels that are consumed
in tanning pills, they may be harmful.
The main ingredient in sunless tanning pills, canthaxanthin, can
deposit in the eyes as crystals, which may cause injury and impaired
vision. There also has been one reported case of a woman who died
from aplastic anemia, which her doctor attributed to her use of
tanning pills.
Tanning accelerators, such as those formulated with the amino acid
tyrosine or tyrosine derivatives, are ineffective and also may be
dangerous. Marketers promote these products as substances that stimulate
the body's own tanning process, although evidence suggests they
don't work. The FDA considers them unapproved new drugs that have
not been proven safe and effective.
Two other sunless tanning products, bronzers and extenders, are
considered cosmetics for external use and are not harmful. Bronzers,
made from color additives approved by FDA for cosmetic use, stain
the skin when applied and can be washed off with soap and water.
Extenders, when applied to the skin, interact with protein on the
surface of the skin to produce color. The color tends to wear off
after a few days. The only color additive approved for extenders
is dihydroxyacetone.
Although they give skin a golden color, these products do not offer
protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Also, the
chemicals in bronzers may react differently on various areas of
your body, producing a tan of many shades.
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Additional Websites
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