It was once thought that getting a tan from an indoor tanning bed unit was a safer alternative to outdoor sun exposure. There's even tanning salons that are still trying to market indoor tanning beds as such. Don't believe their false marketing hype. Numerous studies have been done over the years exposing the fact that tanning beds are just as harmful, if not more so, than exposing your skin to the sun.
Why you ask? Most indoor tanning beds emit 95% or more of UVA rays as opposed to UVB rays. UVA rays, also known as 'aging' rays, penetrate deep into the dermal layer (deepest layer) of your skin causing mucho damage at the cellular level. The remaining 5% of rays are UVB, known as the 'burning' rays, which are associated with a typical sunburn that affects the uppermost layer of skin (epidermis). Since there is less burning associated with indoor tanning beds, it gives you a false sense of security that your skin isn't being damaged.
Oh, and if skin damage wasn't enough...what about the 'ick' factor? By this I mean that you're laying on a bed where someone else was just most likely sweating and shedding dead skin cells. You and I both know that those beds ARE NOT disinfected properly between clients. They're simply sprayed off lightly with a cleaner and that's it. Eeeewww! Can you say TOPICAL SKIN INFECTION????
According to Elizabeth Whitmore, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, indoor tanning light can- and does- lead to skin cancer and should be avoided.
Since I'm very pale, I do like to sport a faux tan in the warmer months. One of my favorite products to use for this is called Tan Towel. It's an awesome product that's quick, easy, convenient and gives me a beautiful sun-kissed tan without being streaky or looking orange. You simply wipe the towelette anywhere on your body that you want a faux tan. No messy creams or gels to deal with! The application dries in 60 seconds and full color is developed in about 3 hours. I do this at night, after a shower. When I wake up, Voila! I'm tan! It doesn't stain clothing or bed sheets either and the color lasts about 3 to 4 days. I LOVE this stuff!
To add a little more 'oomph' to my look, I simply dust on a pinch of Vacation In A Jar and I'm all set. I look like I've had a restful tropical vacation and I never even left the backyard! Of course, I still apply a daily SPF30 no matter what, as neither the Tan Towel or Vacation In A Jar will protect my skin from sun exposure & damage when I'm outside.
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-The Mineral Makeup Coach
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