The Evils of Tanning Beds

[Neon Beach]

The Evils of Tanning Beds
By Jim Huffman

OK, so you’ve had a few days of steady rain, and going to the beach isn’t an option. But you’re starting to notice your pasty white skin, and you’d like to do something about it. Or … it’s January, and tanning outside is a little brisk. So you head to a tanning bed, and — voila! — in a few short minutes, you’ve got that tan you wanted. What’s the problem with this scenario? You’re inevitably going to get complaints from people who tell you that a tanning bed is somehow dangerous. Nonsense. A tanning bed is not “dangerous,” is not a “voluntary coffin,” (to quote my mother’s dermatologist) and isn’t silly. It’s a way of getting tanned, a way of getting your body’s needed dose of vitamin D. Your body doesn’t differentiate: the UV rays react on the skin whether you’re out on the sand for a few hours, or spending 10 minutes on a tanning bed. 10 minutes is a good rule of thumb: it’s roughly equal to an hour in the sun. It’s easy, relatively cheap (look for specials) and is especially good for those times when you don’t have time to spend in the sun, or can’t because of the weather. Of course, watch your time. Most places won’t let you use more than 20 minutes at a pop, but even that’s a long time, if you haven’t had any UV exposure for a while. Start slow, ease in, and enjoy your tan. And if it’s December, enjoy the envy of your pasty-skinned friends. If your looking good bothers them, suggest they get therapy. Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is ‘Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,’ and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Huffman http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Evils-...-Beds&id=53135

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[Mr Derf]

That's nice. I was a little worried by the title.

[Neon Beach]

Gotcha!

[Marca]

Originally Posted by Mr Derf

That's nice. I was a little worried by the title.

Yeah me too, but it's good!

I was wondering about this line:

10 minutes is a good rule of thumb: it’s roughly equal to an hour in the sun

Does anyone of you use this? There are so many variables to take into account, what type of lamps, how many watts, distance to lamps, etc. Can anyone give such a rule of thumb?

[Neon Beach]

Oh my, not sure where they come up with those comparisons, but overall a good write up.

[Sherin]

Originally Posted by Marca

Yeah me too, but it's good!

I was wondering about this line:

10 minutes is a good rule of thumb: it’s roughly equal to an hour in the sun

Does anyone of you use this? There are so many variables to take into account, what type of lamps, how many watts, distance to lamps, etc. Can anyone give such a rule of thumb?

That statement is incorrect as I understand it.

The information provided by the bed manufacturer states that the maximum exposure allowed for each bed is equal to one full day's exposure. 20 minutes in a 100 W bed, 12 in a 160 bed, etc. which is why skin typing is so important!

So say there is 10 hours of sunlight each day, and that was equal to 20 minutes of tanning. (Nobody spends 10 hours a day in the sun that I know of) so lets say 8 hours, 8 hours = 480 minutes so 5 minutes in a 20 minute bed would be equivilent to 2 hours of actual sun exposure. or 2.5 minites equal to 1 hour.