Posts Tagged ‘Sunless tanning’

• DANGERS OF USING ANY FOR OF TANNING WHEN PREGNANT

  Date: 2010.08.06 | Category: Body And Beauty Treatment Tips | Response: 0

  

  HOW SAFE IS TANNING DURING PREGNANCY

  Sensitive skin and pregnancy

  Lots of women find their skin is more sensitive during pregnancy. This means your skin may be more likely to burn in the sun or if you use a sunbed.

  Changing hormone levels will also make you more prone to skin pigmentation (colouration). Dark, irregular patches of skin called chloasma sometimes appear on your face. This can be a sign that your skin will react more strongly to UV rays. If you sunbathe or use a sunbed, the dark patches are likely to increase.

  Your unborn baby

  There is currently no clear evidence about the effect of UV rays from sunbeds on an     unborn baby.

  Some studies show that there may be a link between increased UV rays and a folic acid deficiency. This is because UV rays can break down folic acid.

  Folic acid is very important in the development of the baby’s neural system (brain and spinal cord), which is formed during weeks 1-13 of pregnancy.

  Fake tan

  It’s also not advisable to use fake tan during pregnancy because it can sometimes cause an allergic reaction. This may be more likely if your skin is more sensitive than usual during pregnancy. If you really want to have a tan while you’re pregnant, always test the fake tan product on a small patch of skin first.

  For more on how to look after yourself during pregnancy contuct us on:

  011.327.4490

  info@somabodytherapy.co.za

  www.somabodytherapy.co.za

   

   

• Why is using the sunbed bad for your skin?

  Date: 2010.08.06 | Category: Body And Beauty Treatment Tips | Response: 0

  

  WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUNBEDS

  Sunbed radiation can produce adverse health effects, including malignant melanoma, similar to those of natural sunlight, most notably in fair-skinned persistent users.

  Who should never use sunbeds?

  •children and teenagers under 18 year of age

  •people who have very fair skin

  •people who burn easily or tan poorly

  •people with a lot of freckles or moles

  •people who have had skin cancer or have a family history of the disease

  •people using medication that could make their skin more sensitive to UV

  •people who already have extensive “sunlight” damage

  ABOUT SUNBEDS

  Sunbeds emit predominantly UVA and some UVB, both of which can damage the DNA in cells of the skin. However, in recent years, lamps of sunbeds have been manufactured that produce higher levels of UVB to mimic the solar spectrum and speed the tanning process. While UVB has well known carcinogenic properties and whose excessive exposure is known to lead to the development of skin cancers, recent scientific studies suggest that high exposures to the longer wavelength UVA could also have an impact on skin cancer occurrence.

  As with sun exposure, recent studies indicate a relationship between the use of sunbeds and malignant melanoma as well as non-melanoma skin cancers such as squamous and basal cell carcinomas. Thus, the consequences of regular sunbed use may include disfigurement from removal of skin cancers, early death if the cancer is a malignant melanoma, as well as substantial costs to national health systems for screening, treating and monitoring skin cancer patients.

  UV rays from sunbeds

  Sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths give out the same type of harmful radiation as sunlight:

  •UVA rays make up about 95% of sunlight. They can cause your skin to age early, making it look coarse, leathery and wrinkled.

  •UVB rays make up about 5% and cause your skin to burn.

  A tan is your body’s attempt to protect itself from the damaging effect of UV rays. Getting a tan using a sunbed is not safer than tanning in the sun. In some cases, it may be more harmful, depending on, for example:

  •the strength (dose) of UV rays from the sunbed,

  •how many times or how often you use a sunbed,

  •how long your sessions are,

  •what type of skin you have, such as fair or dark, and

  •your age.

  •the type or strength of UV rays that sunbeds give out, or

  •who can use sunbeds.

  Damage from UV rays

  Prolonged exposure to UV rays increases your risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

  You cannot always see the damage that UV rays cause. The symptoms of skin damage can take up to 20 years to appear.

  UV rays can also damage your eyes, by causing problems such as irritation, conjunctivitis or cataracts, particularly if you don’t wear goggles.

  Advice about using sunbeds

  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued advice on the health risks linked to UV tanning equipment, such as sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths. They recommend that you should not use UV tanning equipment if:

  •you are under 18,

  •you have fair, sensitive skin that burns easily, or tans slowly or poorly,

  •you have a history of sunburn, particularly in childhood,

  •you have lots of freckles and/or red hair,

  •you have lots of moles,

  •you are taking medicines or using creams that make your skin sensitive to sunlight,

  •you have a medical condition that is made worse by sunlight,

  •you have had skin cancer, or someone in your family has had skin cancer, or

  •sunlight has already badly damaged your skin.

  The HSE advice also includes important points to consider before you decide to use a sunbed. For example, if you do use a sunbed, the operator should advise you on your skin type and on how many minutes you should limit your session to.

  For further information contact us on:

  011.327.4490

  info@somabodytherapy.co.za

  www.somabodytherapy.co.za