If you choose to tan in a tanning bed, always wear goggles specifically intended for indoor tanning, and be sure to place them properly to cover your eyelids completely and prevent eyelid burns. Sunglasses will not full protect your eyes from the UV rays produced by the tanning bed.
Merely closing the eyes while on the sunbed does not offer full protection, experts advise. UV damage caused by sunbed lamps can cause long-term damage and growths in the eyes, as well as skin cancer. The college recommends people wear the goggles or ``winkies'' provided by tanning salons.
Using a tanning bed without goggles is not recommended. Here are the reasons why: Eye Protection: Tanning beds emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause serious damage to the eyes.
Many of our clients frequently use their phones whilst lying on a sunbed whilst still wearing the sunbed goggles. In the short term this is ok to do but the temperature, humidity and frequencies emitted by the beds may possibly cause damage to the electronics of your phone.
Tanning beds can produce UV levels up to 100 times what you would get from the sun, which can cause serious damage to the external and internal structures of the eye and eyelids.
By subjecting the eyes to UV light, eye problems can occur no matter if your eyes are open or closed. These potential issues may include photokeratitis, macular degeneration, cataracts, blurry vision, and even dry eye. Let's get deeper into each of these eye health issues and how tanning beds can play a role.
Eye safety
Please never start a tanning session without goggles, this is so important. Merely closing your eyes on a sunbed isn't enough because the UV rays can still penetrate your eyes through the thin skin of your eyelids and cause serious damage to your retina and eyesight.
Moderate tanning of 2-3 sessions a week is OK for everyone else but ensure you rest the skin for a minimum of 24 hours between each session and at least 48 hours for skin type 2. The European Standard advises not to exceed 60 sessions per annum.
Wearing AirPods in a tanning bed can be dangerous for a number of reasons. First, the heat from the tanning bed can damage the AirPods, making them unusable. Second, the noise from the tanning bed can make it difficult to hear the music or podcasts you are listening to, which can lead to overexposure to UV radiation.
Keeping Your Eyes Closed Isn't Enough
Even shutting your eyes tightly in a tanning bed isn't enough protection against UV rays of that strength.
Bear in mind that dry skin reflects UV light, so if you are not using an indoor tanning lotion, you can be wasting up to 50% of your tanning session! We want you to start achieving that color the moment your session starts!
I used to skip eye protection when I was younger, thinking tan lines looked silly. Now I know better. Fortunately, there are options that prevent “raccoon eyes.” Slim tanning goggles offer protection without the lines. Also, disposable eye stickers, like Wink-ease, are another great choice.
Exposure to UV rays can cause damage to both the cornea and conjunctiva of your eye. In addition to the sunlight or reflected sunlight, other sources of UV rays include welding arcs, tanning equipment and lights used for medicine. Sometimes, people call this condition a name that reflects the cause.
If you thought you were safe getting that year-round summer glow by hitting the tanning salon, think again. Dr. Ganz warns that tanning beds are actually more dangerous than the sun. They are so harmful that the World Health Organization has classified tanning beds as a carcinogen.
UV light, emitted by the sun, comprises lower frequency light emissions that penetrate deeper into the body's tissues, including the sensitive areas of your eyes and eyelids.
During the early stages of building up a base tan we recommend tanning frequently (twice a week) for no more than 6 minutes regardless of your skin type (not including skin type 1).
Several health benefit claims such as improved appearance, enhanced mood, and increased vitamin D levels have been attributed to tanning. Furthermore, the Indoor Tanning Association claims that “catching some rays may lengthen your life” [5].
Indoor tanning speeds up skin aging
Indoor tanning is known to cause wrinkles, brown spots and thick leathery skin. Indoor tanning ages your skin 3 times faster than sunlight: indoor tanning can emit up to 15 times more UV radiation than sunlight.
Wear a bathing suit to protect sensitive skin areas.
Use a washcloth, hand towel, or tanning stickers provided by the salon to cover your nipples and genitals for most of your tanning session. Once you have experienced multiple tanning sessions, covering yourself will become less necessary.
☀️Tanning Tip Tuesday☀️ How to avoid the “bunny tail” or white spots on lower back or under your arms or sides: ✅ when using a lay down bed always reposition your body every few minutes to achieve an even tan. Switch from side to side and rest your arms behind your head .
If any UV rays pass through your eyelids, or if you don't close your eyes completely, we do know that UV damage can cause photokeratitis, pterygium formation, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Papaya: Like carrots, orange fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, help to enhance your tan naturally thanks to its high beta-carotene levels. Melon: This refreshing fruit, rich in antioxidants and beta-carotenes will help you to keep your golden skin tone.
Although we often close our eyes when we tan, our eyelids are not sufficient protection against UV rays. UV rays can pass through our eyelids and damage our eyes unbeknownst to us. Further, our eyelids can burn, just like the any other skin of our body.