Let's Talk...Tanning Beds!

I intentionally said I didn't mean this in any kind of serious way but then I DID feel the need to add that I wasn't making light of McCain's bouts with skin cancer. I know there's no way I could EVER live in Alaska. A friend of ours worked up there years ago for several months, I'm not sure just what part but when he was there it was dark at like 3 in the afternoon. I couldn't handle that, no way. Just the cold and snow would be bad enough for me, but no sunshine, forget it! Annie

Thank you, Evanslf, for your helpful information. I hope anyone who does frequently use tanning beds read your post carefully and makes sure to use caution. When I delivered mail I used sunscreen every day all year around and I always made sure to advise new carriers to do likewise. I can't tell you how many would tell me they didn't have to worry about it because they didn't burn. I tried to explain to them that wasn't the point but some of them just didn't want to hear it. So, if you're not concerned with the health aspect of too much sun whether by natural or artificial means think of the vanity part - if you get too much sun you're going to age faster and get premature wrinkles. That is NOT going to make you look healthier and more attractive. Annie

I think it appauling that Palin is using a tanning bed, but in fairness to her she probably just simply doesn't realise the risks that such beds cause (this is NOT a political point, so please read the rest of the information here as this is a SERIOUS issue and definitely not a frivolous one). I work in the health and safety field, dealing with both the risks posed by ionising and non-ionising radiation so I think I know what I'm talking about here. Tanning beds emit non-ionising radiation, UV rays. Such rays can cause arc eye and skin diseases including skin cancer, the most dangerous form of which is melanoma which has a high probability of killing you. There is a spate of young kids / teenagers who like to have a tan because having a tan equates to being healthy and attractive (never mind that in the 1930s, the vogue was that the paler skin you had, the more attractive you were). The problem with tanning machines is that they have become increasingly more powerful over the years, so much so that they emit non-ionising radiation (UV rays) to the same degree as if you were being exposed to tropical sunlight. Being exposed to such levels of UV increases the risk of getting the above mentioned skin deseases and cancer, particularly the case the lighter skin you have (ie if you are blond/blue eyed, also at particular risk are those who are redheads and who have freckles. If your skin is naturally browner, then there is less risk - though still some - and those of dark skin having the less risk of all, though again still some). People of light skin / blond hair / blue eyes / pale complexion / redheads or with freckles are ill equipped to exposure at such high levels and repeated exposure will harm your health. Not only that, those people who are using tanning machines to look healthy and more attractive don't realise that another aspect of exposure to UV rays is that they damage the skin and make you look older as your skin gets more wrinkly the more exposure to UV you have. So one sees people in their 30s whose faces have become lined with wrinkles because of such exposure since their teenage years under tanning machines. That is why for those women who wish to look younger in their 30s and 40s, the experts advise two things: moisturiser and UV day cream, as these will keep the wrinkles at bay for longer by blocking the UV rays from the sun. Now the tanning industry will say exposure to UV from tanning beds will help you by giving you vitamin D. Though this is true as far as it goes, the key point here is that 1) in most parts of America, your skin will receive sufficient vitamin D through natural sunlight, the only exception to this would be in the northern states in the winter months, where you might experience some vitamin D deficiency and 2) in such cases where you might suffer vitamin D sufficiency (which I accept covers Alaska, particularly in the winter months, but maybe all year round in that case), there are OTHER ways to obtain such vitamin D supplements: ie diet and also taking vitamin D supplement pills. I hope this information is useful and would urge you all to take it seriously.

I agree with Trace, a light therapy box to treat SAD would be so much more healthy and it would treat depression. I am not sure that the lights of a tanning booth would treat depression. I could not tolerate the lifestyle in Alaksa but I know someone who lives in the north western most part of Canada and ADORES the lifestyle. She has mush dogs and does racing. Her dogs live better than most pets. I guess everyone has their own thing.

I actually hear so few people live there that they actually pay people to move there and live. It would not be enough. I hate cold weather and snow.

Yeah I have to agree with you.

I can tell you one thing, there isn't enough money on this planet to pay me to live in Alaska! Annie

Good for you for using sun block, especially since you burn easily which as I understand it puts you at greater risk for skin cancer. I've read where tanning beds are even worse than the sun but I think there are other reports that say the opposite so I guess it's like everything else - one day, it will kill you and the next it will make you live forever. I'm with you, give me a hot tub any day! Annie

Yes, Alaska has long periods of no sunlight followed by long periods of ONLY sunlight. I have had several friends from Alaska and there are many people who suffer severe depression due to the lack of sunlight. Tanning beds are more a necessity than a luxury in Alaska purely for the benefits of UV rays.

Yes, tanning beds are actually worse than the sun. I used a tanning bed only once in my life and it was for five days. Now I'm in my 30's and I have already had basal cell skin cancer on my face. Apparently it only takes one tanning session to really damage your skin enough for skin cancer. I wish I knew that 12 years ago.