Tanning beds

[Qaxt]

As most of you probably know, vitamin D can be problematic, especially if you live far from the equator. Tanning beds seem to be the best option during the winter, but the problem arises when the tanning beds are set to very high UVA levels (makes you tan, but doesn't burn you OR cause you to produce vitamin D) and very low UVB levels (makes you tan and burns you quickly, but causes you to produce vitamin D), whereas the sun has a far different ratio (but I can't seem to find any sort of ratio anywhere, though it does depend on where you live and what time of the year it is).

Regardless, tanning beds have been reported to elevate levels of vitamin D, but I've heard it's not a very significant raise. But a raise is a raise, and thus it would seem that if tanning beds were configured to emit a ratio similar to sunlight, it would be a viable sunlight replacement for people far from the equator.

What are your thoughts?

[Mr Flibble]

You mean, in over 8 years of being vegan I've been seriously risking my health by not using sunbeds?! I like living life on the edge, but I had no idea quite how reckless I'd been

[Sarah_]

Now Mr. Flibble, don't worry. I've spent my entire 19 years of existence without having ever been in a tanning bed, and I'm only very slightly ill from the loss of such a wonderous machine as the tanning bed.
We shall suffer in vitamin D-deficient hell together.


On a serious note though, the risks of tanning beds far outweigh the supposed benefits of vitamin d. I understand what you're saying about tweaking the controls but I doubt even those far from the equator would have such a low vitamin d deficiency that they'd have to resort to UV machines.

[missbettie]

tanning beds are a bad idea, tanning is a bad idea. I live in Southern California and am one of the palest people you will ever see. And I'm pretty darn healthy. I'd rather not risk getting skin cancer as my mother has...no thank you.

[Sarah_]

tanning beds are a bad idea, tanning is a bad idea. I live in Southern California and am one of the palest people you will ever see. And I'm pretty darn healthy. I'd rather not risk getting skin cancer as my mother has...no thank you.

I dunno. I live in SoCal too (well I did for my whole life until I recently moved out to Bullhead in AZ) and I'm so pale photographers could use me as a light reflector...

[missbettie]

pale power!!! its very awkward to be around the girls who are so dark, i get a lot of comments. I LATHER sun screen on, I don't care. I'd rather be healthy and different anyway.

[Sarah_]

That's right! I slather on 60+ every day, AND I use a huge golf umbrella when I go outside.

[Mahk]

Regardless if small controlled use of tanning beds improves vitamin D in the blood, I still wouldn't use one for a reason that hasn't been mentioned yet. By buying one (or attending a facility that lets you use one) you are funding an evil industry has for decades lied about their safety and promotes a very dangerous lifestyle that causes cancer .

How common is skin cancer? It is the most common, 20% of us will get it within our lifetimes.

[missbettie]

Regardless if small controlled use of tanning beds improves vitamin D in the blood, I still wouldn't use one for a reason that hasn't been mentioned yet. By buying one (or attending a facility that lets you use one) you are funding an evil industry has for decades lied about their safety and promotes a very dangerous lifestyle that causes cancer .

How common is skin cancer? It is the most common, 20% of us will get it within our lifetimes.

yup, they barely started putting warnings in the shops.

[snivelingchild]

pale power!!! its very awkward to be around the girls who are so dark, i get a lot of comments. I LATHER sun screen on, I don't care. I'd rather be healthy and different anyway.

In avoidance of skin cancer, I hope you realize that there's a difference between physical and chemical sunscreens. Chemical sunscreens (needed to achieve higher than 30spf) change your skins chemical balance, and while no studies are conclusive, they, along with other chemicals in most skin care products, have been linked with cancer.

Choose your sunscreen wisely.

[Qaxt]

Jeez, lol, you're all acting as if I'm suggesting we bake ourselves for hours at a time. I'm saying fifteen minutes, maybe twenty, just as you're supposed to have of actual sunlight. While if you get supplemented foods, it'll help you if you NEVER go in the sun, but if you're eating whole foods, you won't get supplements. In my part of Ohio, it's pretty hard to get 15-20 minutes of sun, especially during the winter.

I don't care about being tan, it's not important. And you won't get too tan if you're doing 15-20 minutes a day (well, a few times a week). I've just noticed that after being in the sun for a day, I'm immediately feeling healthier. By problematic, I meant that if you don't have any supplementation. If/when I become a raw vegan, I'm not going to supplement at all. Which means I need my sunlight.

The only reasons they are cancer-causing is because people bake in them, and because it's nothing like natural light. It's just a bunch of UVA radiation, which won't cause you to burn BUT can still cause cancer. It's not the tanning beds that are bad, it's how you use them.


And I've never even seen a tanning bed, for the record, haha. *blush*

[Mahk]

The only reasons they are cancer-causing is because people bake in them, and because it's nothing like natural light. It's just a bunch of UVA radiation, which won't cause you to burn BUT can still cause cancer. It's not the tanning beds that are bad, it's how you use them.

Same with cigarettes. They're not bad either, it's how people over use them.

"People 35 or younger who used the beds regularly had a melanoma risk eight-fold higher than people who never used tanning beds. Even occasional use among that age group almost tripled the chances of developing melanoma...

The American Cancer Society predicts that, in the year 2000, approximately 47,700 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States. About 7,700 people are expected to die of this cancer by year's end."

- The American Cancer Society.

More here.

[Qaxt]

Same with cigarettes. They're not bad either, it's how people over use them.

And how people get addicted, and how cigarettes don't have any actual health benefits. Come on now, you can't be convinced that going outside is as bad as smoking.

[Qaxt]

(Sorry, I would edit, but I have to wait for replies to be approved, and I just thought of this NOW.)

You also linked to an article on TANNING, not on using the beds' UV radiation for vitamin D. Tanning is very different from getting the vitamin D. With tanning, you have very high UVA, very low UVB, and you stay in for extended periods of time. With what I was suggesting, there would be a lot less UVA, a lot more UVB, and a lot more limited exposure.

[kriz]

I personally would not set my foot inside a tanning salon - never. I won't go anywhere without a hat, glasses and SPF 30. I live in a warm climate, I don't need any sun damage to go with it. I'm pale, VERY pale, but that's only because I never tan anymore. Although I loved a golden glow in the past, there's a price to pay: cancer, wrinkles, discoloration.... My feet and elbows probably get their 15 minutes, though.

[Mahk]

And how people get addicted, and how cigarettes don't have any actual health benefits. Come on now, you can't be convinced that going outside is as bad as smoking.

It depends how you define "addictive". Many people who use tanning salons indeed show a compulsive/obsessive behavior to their "perfectly safe obsession, er, hobby". Tanning has no health benefits. The amount of sun exposure to invoke proper vitamin D manufacturing in the skin is a fraction of the amount needed for a tan. The tanning industry is evil and routinly lies about their health and safety in search of revenue. They won't get a cent of my money.

Maybe instead converting all your household lights to "full spectrum" might get the desired results? Just speculation, I have no evidence.

Yes, I understand your point that you are suggesting the use of tanning beds for "not tanning". Change the frequency and limit exposure. In theory it might work but it involves the use of the cancer promoting industry's machines. No thanks.

[missbettie]

I don't care about being tan, it's not important. And you won't get too tan if you're doing 15-20 minutes a day (well, a few times a week). I've just noticed that after being in the sun for a day, I'm immediately feeling healthier. By problematic, I meant that if you don't have any supplementation. If/when I become a raw vegan, I'm not going to supplement at all. Which means I need my sunlight.

I don't even think you are suppose to be in a tanning bed that long, i was under the impression that it was a lot shorter than 15-20 minutes...and even if its not sunny outside it doesn't mean that the sun is gone, you are still going to get the vit. D no? Well at least I would assume so if they tell you to even be careful when it cloudy outside because you still can get sunburned...

I think you should do what you want, just be careful, tanning beds can be addicting because of the euphoria feeling or what not...and IMO and according to most all of the studies done they are not good for you...Make sure you are not getting your information from a biased source... I hope you aren't taking what anyone is saying personally you posted something and people gave their opinions, we are just looking out for you!

Thanks Sniv! I'll have to look into my sun screen, my daily one is a completly natural one that I get from my health food store, and it has a very low SPF...so hopefully there really isn't any chemicals...it has pretty basic ingrediants, well at least i can pronounce them any way...i guess it doesn't really mean its good for me anyway...but thanks!

[Sarah_]

^ Yeah me as well. Now I have to look at my sunscreen and see what it's all about. I use Neutrogena sunscreen I think....

[missbettie]

^ mine is by Alba botanicals, and its vegan.

[snivelingchild]

If the alba says mineral on the front, it's okay, but only 3 out of 8 of their sunscreens are mineral based. Mineral sunscreens are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide. If it begins with an 'O,' it's a chemical sunscreen, which alters your skin chemistry much like antiperspirant does. Mineral sunscreens simply act as a physical barrier to block UV rays.

[missbettie]

it doesn't say mineral on the front but it doesn't say it has Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide in it...so is it bad? what sun screen do you use sniv?

[snivelingchild]

I use the Alba aloe vanilla mineral sunscreen. Look under the 'active ingredients' and see what it says. If it isn't the two I said, then it's a chemical sunscreen. A while back I was using all terrain mineral sunscreen, but it had a lot of parabens in it.

[alisont]

I use Yaoh or Green people sunscreen, and green people have a good fake tan - natural one if i do want a light tan look, sunbeds are so unsafe i reckon - have read a lot of stories about people over using them and getting skin cancer - just not worth the risk, it amazes me how cheap some of these tanning beds are and you see under 16's using some of them or really fair skinned people going on the stand up beds for the maximum time - which is asking for trouble

[xrodolfox]

I wonder if instead of tanning beds, an easier solution would be to use lighting systems which mimic sunlight's natural spectrum. You know, the lights that claim to stop winter blues?

[Pilaf]

And how people get addicted, and how cigarettes don't have any actual health benefits. Come on now, you can't be convinced that going outside is as bad as smoking.

Actually..the skin care professionals recommend getting as little sun possible.

[snivelingchild]

A girl in my high school once went to 3 tanning salons in one day to get ready for prom...she was then admitted to the hospital for burns...the trouble was it happens so slowly.

[Qaxt]

Actually..the skin care professionals recommend getting as little sun possible.

Because if they didn't people would go outside for eight hours without sunscreen.

15-20 minutes is all it takes for your body to produce all the D1 (far better than the non-vegan D3, which is better than the vegan D2!).