The Tan & The Sunshine Vitamin

(By Zeyana Haniffa)

The sun-bed also called the tanning-bed fulfills the main purpose of catching up on some instant sun  for a golden tan and also a good dosage of the very much needed vitamin D.

You can use the sun bed to obtain a gradual feel good tan, deepen your tan or maintain your current tan.

A golden tan skin always looks good. There are a few important factors that go into looking your best: A trendy wardrobe, a fit body, great looking hair, white teeth, and a golden tan. And the sun bed allows you to get your fast tan at any given time of the day or night.

There’s a bit of stir going on about how sun beds can cause cancer but we all know too much of anything has its repercussions. Likewise the sun bed entails  its indirect adverse effect but not under a vigil watch.

Why use the sun bed?

The sun  emits Ultra Violet (UV) rays namely A, B & C. UVC is the most harmful and does not reach the earth as its absorbed by the upper atmosphere. UVB & UVA  reach the atmosphere.UVB contains more energy and is stronger than UVA  and can cause skin damage such as age spots, freckles & hyper pigmentation which leads to sunburn.

The tanning lamps in the sun bed produce UVA & UVB rays but go a step further  and regulate to produce more UVA rays when you can’t control the sun!  This prevents overexposure ,a common sunbathing holiday mistake and for a safer and comfortable tanning experience.

The UVA rays are found throughout the day and year and causes the release of existing melanin from the melanocytes to combine with oxygen (oxidize) to create the actual tan color in the skin.

Tanning is healthy!

Did you know according to The Sun bed Association, 7% of the UK’s adult population uses a sun bed? And 70% of people want to be tanned?

There are people out there arguing that tanning is risky and bad for your health. Tanning is healthy! If you pace yourself and avoid getting a sun burn, your golden tan will be an important component of your overall health.

Among being able to give you a sun kissed feel great look great tan the sun bed provides you a ample amount of vitamin D that has been found insufficient in our day to day lives. The current trend of our lifestyles tend to keep us indoors for longer hours and away from our natural vitamin D source – the sun.

Sarah – Kate Templeton, Health Editor of Sunday Times says, “Long working hours and the trend for children to play indoors on computers have also reduced exposure to sunlight“. She further mentions, “Family doctors are prescribing the vitamin, normally activated by the body by sunlight, to combat conditions ranging from aches and tiredness to diabetes arthritis & multiple sclerosis“. A one more reason why you should catch up on the rays from time to time.

The Elle Decoration Magazine, June 2011 states.”Even if a gap in the British cloud allows a glimpse of the sun, chances are we are not outside often enough to get the vitamin D we need for strong bones – The Department of Health Says 50 percent of us are deficient“.

The Harvard School of Public Health writes,” Being “D-ficient” may increase the risk of a host of chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, some cancers, and multiple sclerosis, as well as infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and even the seasonal flu.”

Gradual monitored use of the sun bed also preps your skin for outside exposure to sudden strong sunlight as the UVA rays temper the skin to withstand the sunburn from the direct sun.

Tanning is also said to elevate your mood by making you relaxed through the production of endorphins which are happy hormones.  Research published in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology suggests that frequent users of tanning beds may become addicted to these endorphins.

“This might explain why some people appear to be hooked on sunbathing and why frequent users of tanning beds say they experience a positive mood change or are more relaxed after a session,” says coauthor Steven Feldman, a professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Tanning is also helpful in easing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which are the winter blues or a semi depression mode experienced by people during the darker months. In addition to alleviating a dark mood, tanning is also advisable  for conditions such as eczema as it has been treated by light therapy.

Before you use a sun bed

- Make sure you are above 18 years of age: On 8 April 2011, the Sun beds (Regulation) Act 2010 came into force in England and Wales. The main purposes of the Act are to prevent the use of sun beds on commercial business premises by children and young people under the age of 18.

- Know how to switch it off
- Protect your lips with sunscreen or lip balm
- Wear protective eye goggles
- Do not use any outdoor tanning lotion
- Remove contact lenses as the UV lights would draw out moisture and reduce the longevity of the lens ‘s life.  And remove body & facial cosmetics.
- Read the information or listen to the introductory session that the tanning salon provides before using a sun bed for the first time. This information describes how to safely use the equipment and the risks associated with using sun beds.

Do Not Use
- If you have a childhood history of getting excessively sun burnt
- You have fair sensitive skin that does not tan in sunlight
- If you are under any photosensitive drugs
- lf you are pregnant, consult a doctor before use

4 Tips to build a gradual golden tan
- Before using a sun bed get to know your skin type
- Visit 2 -3 times a week to temper your skin, your tan will begin to deepen after 3 – 5 sessions
- Have a gap of 36 – 48 hours between sessions allowing your tan to fully develop
- Use the timer to make sure that you are not getting too much exposure in a single session. About 20 minutes per session is sufficient.

Click here to make a booking for sun bed at Büty Salon.

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