A vast majority of people feel healthier, more attractive and sophisticated with a beautifully tanned skin. Reports saying that particularly women and teenagers feel better with a brown, tanned skin have considerably encouraged the indoor tanning industry. There is no doubt about the benefits of a beautiful tan.

Everyone has heard about the problems associated with excessive exposure to the sun. Sun damage is a real problem, and even one or two bad sunburns can lead to problems like premature aging or even skin cancer.

Nevertheless, they should be aware that indoor tanning, though safer than sun exposure, is not 100 percent safe. But it guarantees adjustable equipment and highly trained professionals to control the tanning process.

When you tan indoors, you can control the amount of exposure and the time of exposure. In addition, an indoor tanning environment like a good quality tanning bed can provide comfort and relaxation in addition to beautiful color.

All over the world but especially in the USA, south beach tanning has been gradually replaced in the top of consumers' preferences by indoor tanning salons: modern, well equipped, offering safety and promising the same bronze. At the same time, federal officials urged Americans to avoid sunbathing and to use sunscreens at all times. The American Academy of Dermatology started a public campaign to prevent skin cancer. Its statement was firm: “There is no safe way to tan!”

Is it better to use a Tanning Salon or buy a Tanning Bed?

Just be sure that the store you are considering sells directly to the public, as some of these businesses will sell indoor tanning equipment only to other businesses.

Is Indoor Tanning Safe

Dermatologists Battle Industry About Tanning Salon Safety
Dermatologists have warned for years that indoor tanning can cause skin cancer and should be avoided. The doctors' latest broadside comes in a selective review of scientific evidence on the risks and benefits of indoor tanning. Researcher Jody A. Levine, MD, is a pediatrician and senior dermatology resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

"We know that ultraviolet radiation is a carcinogen just like tobacco," Levine tells WebMD. "Radiation use has been declared a carcinogen by the National Institutes of Health. And the World Health Organization recognizes that no person under 18 should use a sun bed."

Levine and colleagues conclude that indoor tanning is a dangerous practice -- especially for teens. The American Academy of Dermatology and the American Medical Association have called for a ban on the sale and use of tanning equipment for nonmedical purposes. And the FDA and CDC each encourage people to avoid the use of tanning beds and sun lamps.

Industry Calls Foul
Levine and colleagues' report appears in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. They admit their paper is a "narrative" review -- that is, it's based on selected studies and not on a systematic review of all studies relating to the issues involved.

That's not fair, says Melissa Haynes, spokeswoman for the Indoor Tanning Association. The ITA is an industry trade group representing bed tanning salons, manufacturers, and distributors as well as makers of spray-on tanning products.

"It upsets us that the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, a well-respected journal, chose to publish an article -- based entirely on a narrative review -- that serves no purpose other than furthering the AAD's political agenda," Haynes tells WebMD. "I don't think there is any other purpose of this journal article. And that does a disservice to the AAD."