sun beds

A sun bed is a very popular item found in many salons, leisure centres and Health farms today. There are many health warnings concerning the effects of Ultra Violet Light on the skin, yet there is still a demand for a tanned skin. Fake tanning cosmetics are more popular than ever before due to this and treatments are offered at many salons.

Sun beds are available in a variety of different shapes and sizes. A sun bed consists of a bed that is contoured to ensure even tanning on all sides of the body. The bed normally has an overhead canopy to eliminate the need for the client to turn over thus reducing treatment time.

More widely available now are vertical tanning beds. These ask the client to stand for the treatment whilst the sun bed surrounds the body on all sides (almost like a room). This avoids contact of the skin with the sun bed which tends to cause perspiration. This is generally felt to be more hygienic.

Many sun beds emit Ultra Violet A rays (UVA). These rays expand the pigment (Melanin) already in the skin therefore producing a short-term tan.

However these rays will damage the collagen and elastic of the skin and can contribute towards the formation of skin cancers.

A longer lasting tan will be produced with UVB rays. These rays stimulate the pigment (Melanin) in the skin to increase in production. However these rays will also cause thickening of the skins surface layers and is known to cause sunburn and skin cancers. For these reasons most sun beds only emit UVA rays.

There are a number of sun beds which emit both UVA and a small amount of UVB rays. These tend to produce a faster result requiring a shorter treatment time.

With any sun bed treatment a consultation should be carried out prior to treatment.

In leisure clubs there is often a list of precautions on the wall detailing the conditions that should not receive sun bed treatments, this should be read and taken notice of by the client.

I am a keen gardener. Should I be using a sun protection cream when I am outdoors?

Yes. Sun protection creams should be applied whenever you are outside. An SPF (sun Protection Factor) of 15 should be used especially to vulnerable areas such as the eye, ears and nose.

My family have a history of skin cancer. How would I recognise a Malignant Melanoma which is the most deadly?

This type of skin cancer has a number of characteristics such as: Half the mole does not look like the other, the border may be irregular, the mole begins to change colour and begins to grow quite quickly. It can also become itchy and may bleed.

The rule is if any mark on the skin suddenly changes shape, colour or becomes more noticeable it is advisable to visit the Doctor.