The Issue

Contacting ultraviolet A and B radiation can cause sunburn, damage to your eyes, and other health effects, including an increased risk of skin cancer. If you decide to use tanning lamps, you should be aware of the hazards involved so you can take steps to minimize your risk.

Background

There are a lot of dissimilar brands and models of tanning lamps on the market in Canada. They must all obey with federal regulations under the Radiation Emitting Devices Act. The system covers a wide range of safety issues, including requirements for warning labels. Any person, who uses tanning lamps, either at home or in a salon, should look for these labels on the equipment.

Caution labels list the recommended exposure times per session for different skin types, and also contain other information that can help enhance safety during exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

This is important to make an informed decision about how long and how often you are exposed to UV radiation from tanning lamps. If you transcend go beyond the recommended exposure time for your skin type, or use tanning lamps more often than recommended, your risk of adverse health effects will increase.

* Health Canada has published Guidelines for Tanning Salon Owners, Operators and Users, which explain the risks and effects of tanning lamps and how to use them in a safer way.

Health Risks Associated with Tanning Lamps

Those people who use tanning lamps are at risk of sunburn. It inflamed redness of the skin is caused by too much exposure to UV radiation, particularly to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Sunburn can appear right away in severe cases, or may develop up to 24 hours later.

Not protecting your eyes while tanning, overexposuring to UV radiation cause temporary but painful eye conditions known as photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis. Especially, overexposure to UVB radiation may be linked to the development of cataracts, a clouding over of the lens of the eye, which can cause blindness.

Lamps for tanning can also cause longer-term health effects. Contacting UV radiation can cause your skin to age more quickly and can increase your risk of developing squamous and basal cell skin cancer. The risk of developing skin cancer increases with accumulated exposure to UV radiation.

There is also scientific proof that exposure to UV radiation weakens the immune system. It could affect your body's ability to defend against serious illnesses, including the more serious form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma.