While many people covet the golden glow of suntanned skin, most people are too busy to spend long hours lying in the sun in order to accomplish this. They turn instead to paying for tanning sessions at indoor tanning beds for five to 30 minutes each week, trying to accomplish their goal. Nevertheless, is this a good idea?

One factor that has increased the popularity of tanning beds enormously over the past decades is the argument for their safety. Professionals in the tanning industry argue that, because people tan for controlled periods, they are exposed to lower doses of ultraviolet, or UV rays. This, they claim, allows people to tan more efficiently.

Do tanning beds really optimize the amount of UV rays with which a person comes into contact? Do they really offer a safer alternative to tanning under natural sunlight? Unfortunately, they do not. Despite the information offered by the tanning industry, tanning beds increase a person’s risk of developing skin cancer.

In fact, persons who tanned more than 10 times in a tanning bed were at least 150 percent more likely to develop skin cancer. These ultraviolet rays are twice as intense as those a person receives from natural sunlight. Because UV rays cause skin cancer, people are likely to develop skin cancer if they subject themselves to higher doses of UV rays.

Some people are particularly susceptible to the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. These people include fair-skinned people, people with blue, green, or gray eyes, and people who sunburn easily. These individuals should avoid tanning beds; they are at a significantly higher risk for skin cancer, aging effects, or other types of skin damage from UV rays.

In some instances, however, people may experience great benefit from tanning beds, although not for cosmetic reasons. They can be used to treat skin diseases like psoriasis or eczema, which are patches of inflamed skin. Alternatively, they may be used to treat people affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); persons with SAD often find that their depression lessens UV exposure.

If you have determined that tanning beds are the best option for you, tan smart. Wear skin goggles to protect your eyes from a disorder known as arc eye. This is a term used to describe corneal burns, which can be very painful.

In addition, wear sunscreen to protect yourself from sunburn. Sunburn intensifies a person’s risk for skin cancer. Finally, remember: tanning beds are not as safe as tanning in natural sunlight.