Many people use tanning beds (also known as sun beds or solariums) to attain a tan all year round. They operate by producing ultraviolet radiation, which darkens a pigment in the skin called melanin to provide a tan. Sun beds produce mainly UV-A rays, along with some UV-B rays. For years scientists thought that UV-A radiation didn't damage the skin, but it's now known that these rays are harmful and result in long-term damage, penetrating the deep layers of the skin to destroy the collagen and elastin fibers, which causes the skin to age more rapidly and results in wrinkles and freckles on the skin. The rays can also bring about an increased risk of contracting skin cancer.
While the UV-A undoubtedly provide a tan, they don't stimulate skin cells to produce a thicker epidermis, unlike UV-B rays from the sun, which means that the tan from UV-A rays doesn't provide any extra protection from further exposure to ultraviolet radiation. In fact, by prematurely aging the skin, UV-A rays damage the regenerative cells in the skin, causing it to be more susceptible to the harmful UV-B rays when the skin is later exposed to the sun.
It has recently been suggested that using tanning beds might be addictive, in that the rays they use increase the production rate of endorphins in the brain, providing the user with a pleasurable sensation.
Because sun beds have been in use for only a few years, the extent of the damage they cause is not yet fully known. However, skin specialists claim that no tan is healthy and that sun beds should be avoided, especially by people with fair complexions.
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