At one time, a tanned body was considered as having a 'healthy glow'. Our obsession to having a year round bronzed body has lead people to use sunlamps and tanning beds to get an all over even tan even if the sun is not there to provide it.

Today scientists and international experts warn of serious health risks involved with tanning. “Although some people think that a tan gives them a ‘healthy’ glow, any tan is a sign of skin damage,” says Sharon Miller, M.S.E.E., a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientist and international expert on UV radiation and tanning. “A tan is the skin’s reaction to exposure to UV rays,” says Miller. “Recognizing exposure to the rays as an ‘insult,’ the skin acts in self-defense by producing more melanin, a pigment that darkens the skin. Over time, this damage will lead to prematurely aged skin and, in some cases, skin cancer.”

Two types of UV radiation that penetrate the skin are UV-A and UV-B rays. Both damage the skin and can lead to skin cancer. Tanning salons use lamps that emit both UV-A and UV-B radiation making them more dangerous than what was previously thought. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is linked to getting severe sunburns, especially at a young age. NCI reports that women who use tanning beds more than once a month are 55 percent more likely to develop melanoma. Teenage girls and young women make up a growing number of tanning bed customers. Young people may not think they are vulnerable to skin cancer. They have difficulty thinking about their own mortality, yet of the more than 68,000 people in the United States who will learn they have melanoma this year, one out of eight will die from it, according to NCI estimates. In addition, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that melanoma is the second most common cancer in women 20 to 29 years old. Some states are considering laws to ban those under age 18 from using tanning beds. And many states now have laws that require minors to have a parent’s consent or be accompanied by a parent to the tanning facility.

In addition to the serious risk of skin cancer, tanning can cause:

• Premature aging. Tanning causes the skin to lose elasticity and wrinkle prematurely. This leathery look may not show up until many years after you’ve had a tan or sunburn.
• Immune suppression. UV-B radiation may suppress proper functioning of the body’s immune system and the skin’s natural defenses, leaving you more vulnerable to diseases, including skin cancer.
• Eye damage. Exposure to UV radiation can cause irreversible damage to the eyes.
• Allergic reaction. Some people who are especially sensitive to UV radiation may develop an itchy red rash and other adverse effects.

Advocates of tanning devices sometimes argue that using these devices is less dangerous than sun tanning because the intensity of UV radiation and the time spent tanning can be controlled. But there is no evidence to support these claims. In fact, sunlamps may be more dangerous than the sun because they can be used at the same high intensity every day of the year—unlike the sun whose intensity varies with the time of day, the season, and cloud cover. The FDA believes that limiting sun exposure and using sunscreen or sunblock are particularly important for children since these measures can prevent sunburn at a young age.

FDA held an advisory committee meeting in March 2010 to seek independent, professional expertise and advice on regulatory issues related to tanning devices. At this public meeting, the agency heard many suggestions from health professionals, scientists, tanning industry representatives, and consumers. Based on the recommendations of the advisory committee and FDA’s own studies, the agency is considering revising some requirements for tanning beds, including strengthening the warning labels to make consumers more aware of the risks.