Every time you tan or burn, you damage the DNA in your skin. The more you damage your DNA, the greater your risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
There is also strong evidence suggesting that exposure to UV rays, both UVA and UVB, can cause skin cancer. UV radiation may promote skin cancer in two different ways: By damaging the DNA in skin cells, causing the skin to grow abnormally and develop benign or malignant growths.
Although ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure from indoor tanning has been linked to an increased risk of melanoma, the role of DNA repair genes in this process is unknown.
The routine and often unavoidable exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation makes it one of the most significant environmental DNA-damaging agents to which humans are exposed. Sunlight, specifically UVB and UVA, triggers various types of DNA damage.
These fluorescent lamps range anywhere from 100-watt bulbs to 140-watt bulbs. Because of their power – and the fact that they simulate UVA rays vs. UVB rays – they can actually penetrate the skin on a deeper level than the sun. This is why ten minutes in a tanning bed equates to about two hours of direct sun exposure.
It doesn't. The bulbs used in tanning beds emit mostly UVA light; however, your body needs UVB light to make vitamin D. To get vitamin D safely, board-certified dermatologists recommend that healthy adults get vitamin D from their diet.
For instance, individuals with fair to medium skin tones may achieve satisfactory results in approximately 6 minutes on a sunbed. However, it's crucial to adjust the duration based on skin sensitivity and tanning goals.
These external agents of genetic change are called mutagens. Exposure to mutagens often causes alterations in the molecular structure of nucleotides, ultimately causing substitutions, insertions, and deletions in the DNA sequence.
UVA (and also UVB) radiation cause indirect damage to DNA via absorption of photons by non-DNA chromophores. This generates reactive oxygen species like singlet oxygen or hydrogen peroxide that oxidize the DNA bases causing mutations.
Photolyase is able to recognize the location where UV irradiation has cross-linked DNA and grabs onto those bits of damaged DNA. Then, it can capture a blue photon from the sun, and use it to perform repair chemistry, turning the DNA back into its original, healthy form.
The professional indoor tanning industry promotes and teaches what we refer to as The Golden Rule of Smart Tanning: Don't ever sunburn. The indoor tanning industry has been more effective at teaching sunburn prevention than those who promote complete sun avoidance.
Type IV – Brown skin color, brown hair, and brown eyes, tans more than average, rarely burns, and rarely freckles. Common ethnic background: the Mediterranean, Southern European, Hispanic.
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].
Endogenous sources of DNA damage include hydrolysis, oxidation, alkylation, and mismatch of DNA bases; sources for exogenous DNA damage include ionizing radiation (IR), ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and various chemicals agents.
Today, having a tan is associated with people that have an active, outdoor lifestyle. A tan therefore makes people look healthier and fit. Pale skin is often associated with sickness (e.g. anaemia) which is another, indirect reason why a tan makes people seem healthier.
While some believe tanning in a bed is safer, tanning beds emit 12 times more UVA radiation than the sun. UVA rays are primarily linked to premature aging of the skin, causing wrinkles, fine lines and age spots.
UVA rays break down collagen and lead to premature aging of the skin, while UVB rays are known as “burning rays.” While these rays can give you a tan, they ultimately damage your DNA. “The problem with repeated exposure to the sun is that the sun damage never goes away,” Dr. Slagel says.
UVB radiation can cause direct DNA damage. This cancer connection is one reason for concern about ozone depletion and the ozone hole.
Fluorescence of UV-irradiated DNA is most pronounced when thymine nucleobases are adjacent to each other. Natural and synthetic DNA become fluorescent upon UV irradiation at room temperature when thymine and adenine nucleobases are present.
A stem cell or bone marrow transplant are some of the few invasive procedures that can cause any significant changes in one's DNA. Although, a proper testing facility is well-equipped to handle such cases so there is no need to fret on inconclusive data.
Most damage to DNA is repaired by removal of the damaged bases followed by resynthesis of the excised region. Some lesions in DNA, however, can be repaired by direct reversal of the damage, which may be a more efficient way of dealing with specific types of DNA damage that occur frequently.
Although your DNA stays the same, your gene expression program will start changing when you start making different choices. You are essentially genetically reprogramming yourself when you choose to stand outside yourself, observe your thinking and choices, and change the way you live your life.
Avoid using harsh or fragranced products immediately after tanning, as they may further irritate the skin.
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.
In general, an improved feeling of well-being is associated with tanning. Sunbeds emitting UVB have been demonstrated to stimulate vitamin D production. Further, sunbeds may confer the benefits associated with obtaining optimal vitamin D status.