TANNING BEDS--SAFE?

Tanning beds are ubiquitous.  They are present is spas, as independent entities and even in quick loan places and gas stations. What exactly are they? They consist of banks of ultraviolet band A lamps.  UVA is the tanning spectrum and UVB is the burning spectrum so the tanning industry will tell you they are safe and provide a base for a "healthy tan."  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Although the lights are mostly UVA there is some UVB present but there are major problems with UVA and the device itself.  These devices can burn and the burn is very deep to the point of hospitalization. They do not provide a base tan that will protect you in the sun.  The wavelength is the exact correct one to produce cataracts and although goggles are to be worn when in use, they are not always provided and when they are, they are not always used.  The light kills a cell in the skin called the Langerhans cell, which is one of the first lines of defense against infection. The lights will react with many medications, perfumes etc to produce a rash or burn.  Although they are supposed to be regulated by state health departments, there is no way the number that are present can be kept up with.  UVA is a major contributing factor to the development of malignant melanoma, which is a skin cancer that will kill. The incidence of this cancer is on the rise, especially in young women--those most likely to go to a tanning bed.  All of you know someone who has gone or does go to a tanning bed and here is your clarion call to get them to stop. Perhaps there is a reason they are shaped like a coffin.