Tanning bed

Tanning is not much of a problem for Malaysians as we have sun shine all year long. So when a friend shows me a photo of a tanning bed, it caught me by surprise. I mean I had seen it in magazines before (I think) but as these things are quite unheard of and absolutely in no demand here in Malaysia, so I guess even if I have seen one, it wouldn’t stick in my mind. I think I would associate it more as a medical treatment machine than a health or cosmetic reasons.

Still I really wonder about the safety in using the tanning bed. It is a bed-like device that emits ultraviolet radiation to produce a tan. Although it is reported to be a $2-billion-dollar per annum industry in the United States, this certainly doesn’t bode well on the health. There have been researches done and found an increase in the percentage of melanoma (skin cancer) on women that visited these indoor tanning salons than those who did not. Furthermore, the World Health Organization does not recommend the use of UV tanning devices for cosmetic reasons. For example, using a sunbed without goggles may lead to a condition known as arc eye.

Frankly speaking, even when under normal sunlight while at the beach or outdoor games, we are also advised to use sunblock, not sure about the wisdom of sitting or lying down on direct ultraviolet radiation is such a good idea.