I’ve always been mildly against tanning, first because it seemed unnatural but also because I heard the warnings of dermatologists, government and sunscreen companies about the dangers of sunburn and figured a 10 minute tan has got to be so intense that the damage to your skin is worse. Alas, recent readings made me wonder “what about a little exposure to tanning salon UVA (tanning salon bulbs now emit mostly UVA vs. UVB rays)? Is that harmful too or could it actually be good for you?” I mean, people do look good after a bit of sun and often you mentally feel great when you are out in the sun, as long as it’s not too overwhelming.

It’s proven that we need Vitamin D for good health and to protect ourselves from certain cancers and other illnesses. We can get Vitamin D from fortified foods like milk, but otherwise we need the ultraviolet rays of the sun to start the chemical reaction that creates Vitamin D. We don’t need much exposure to get the Vitamin D we need, about 20-30 minutes according to Harvard Medical Schools “Eat, Drink and Be Healthy”, but with Philadelphia’s relative northern latitude, the cloudy cold winter weather and our predominantly indoor lives this short amount of exposure can actually be challenging to achieve. Hence, the thought that maybe some moderate indoor tanning can be healthful by generating some Vitamin D and even giving you some mental pick me up slide into my head. Time for investigation of the facts.

My big mistake was starting my investigative reporting at Hollywood Tans. If you want information on the effects of tanning, don’t ask a tanning salon. I did, and figured they might at least have their side of the story, but alas the young bronzed college waif had nothing to say or give me, which was my first indication that there aren’t any studies supporting its health benefits. As it turns out, only 1% of the salon operators in a recent Consumer Reports survey answered all their questions appropriately. Most of the respondents gave "false, questionable,or inadequate" answers to between three and four questions. From my experience that sounds about right.

In order to honestly report on tanning to my clients and friends, I bit the bullet and bought a 10 tan package and forced myself to get a perfect golden tan by standing near naked (the goggles were required) for 8 minutes at a time in a glowing, claustrophobic, metal tower of light. All in the name of science of course, the Philly Magazine photo shoot had nothing to do with it. I’ll get back to my experience and sage advice after you hear the facts:

A study in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology offers evidence that ultraviolet exposure from tanning beds is just as dangerous as direct exposure to the sun. No kidding! Researchers found that molecular changes linked to the deadly skin cancer melanoma routinely occur after a single indoor tanning session. Dermatologist James M. Spencer, MD, tells WebMD. "Simply put, a tan is the body's response to DNA damage. When the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, either through direct sun exposure or at a tanning salon, it produces a tan to prevent further damage.

In 2002, a study from Dartmouth Medical School found that tanning device users had 2.5 times the risk of squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times the risk of basal cell carcinoma. About 1 million Americans are diagnosed annually with skin cancer. About 80 percent are basal cell; 16 percent squamous cell, both treatable, and 4 percent are melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer that can be fatal if not detected early. Burns have been shown to have the worst effects but what’s important here is that the thought that building up a tan to protect your from skin is not really valid. Point 1: a tan from moderate tanning might protect from a burn but the exposure to get it is harmful too, but how harmful?.

When looking at the risk factors for melanoma the state of skin pigmentation and whether you tan easily or not has a huge effect on risk. Fair- and dark-skinned people have a hundredfold difference in risk; some research indicates that the pigment fair-skinned people produce may itself promote cancer. Meenhard Herlyn, professor of molecular and cellular oncogenesis at the Wistar Institute, said, that although people assume that childhood sunburns correlate with melanoma risk, this relationship is not borne out in reviews of the literature. So it seems the danger of sun and tanning UV exposure is relative, like everything else there is no black and white answer, point 2.

People with skin types I and II are at a far greater risk. Which skin type are you?

Tanning Type According to Skin Type

• I Always burns; never tans; sensitive ("Celtic")
• II Burns easily; tans minimally
• III Burns moderately; tans gradually to light brown (Average Caucasian)
• IV Burns minimally; always tans well to moderately brown (Olive Skin)
• V Rarely burns; tans profusely to dark (Brown Skin)
• VI Never burns; deeply pigmented, not sensitive (Black Skin)

In the end, ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal, resulting in premature skin aging, which nobody wants. So everyone must understand their skin type and weigh their specific risks with the benefits they get but if you choose to go tanning, please do it in moderation (not multiple times per week), or risk being that guy or girl with the mangled wrinkly skin. Think about tanning as ice cream, you know it’s full of fat and refined sugar but depending on your skin/body type, you can handle a little bit once in a while, especially if its nourishing for your soul.

Gavin McKay is the creator of fusion: HEART.MUSCLE.MIND in Philadelphia, PA.  To learn more about fusion, Gavin or to read Gavin's Health Blog, visit www.fusioncrosstraining.com or contact Gavin at gavin@fusioncrosstraining.com