The Health Benefits Of Indoor Tanning
This is kind of an oxymoron of sorts. As discussed off the top of this article, there are a ton of risks that come with using a tanning bed of any kind. It should be noted again that, according to most of the experts in this field, the negatives far out way the positives when it comes to the products.
That said, we're talking benefits so here are the positives. Sun rays offer Vitamin D. If you live in the place that doesn't have a lot of natural sunlight, tanning sunbeds can provide this much needed vitamin. Vitamin D is important in a couple of ways. Most notable, it primes the bones in your body to take in calcium, something that is required for strength. Note that this benefit is really only prevalent if a low pressure tanning bed used. Now, most commercial tanning sunbeds are of the low pressure variety but it's always worth looking into before jumping in.
Having a tan also protects the skin from potential sun burning. It's thought that
a tan acts sort of like a sunscreen that has an SFP of about 3. Note that if you're spending any serious time outside, you should be using a sunscreen that has an SFP of 15. Every little bit helps though!
Sunbeds Make You Feel Better!
Most people agree on this one. While I don't believe there is any hard data supporting it, it's pretty much understood that sun makes people feel better than rain does. In cities where the winters are long and the weather is wet, tanning salons offer men and women an oasis from the cold of sorts. One can hit the tanning salon for a twenty minutes or so and dream of lying on a beach in Mexico.
These devices have also been used to successfully treat folks suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder - also known as SAD. This disorder affects people who get particularly depressed during the winter months when the days are short and sun is rarely seen. Sometimes a burst of UV a couple times a week is all it takes to help someone with SAD live a happier life.
Tanning Sunbeds Are Convenient
One thing that indoor tanning beds offer is convenience. This makes a lot of sense is you think about. If someone wants to get a tan, they will. Now, if indoor tanning isn't an option, what do you think said person will do? Well, naturally they'll find a sunny place outdoors and sit in the sun. This is considerably more time consuming than lying in a tanning bed for 20 minutes a couple times a week. Indoor tanning also offers the tanner more in the way of control. Tanning outdoors is, in some ways, actually more dangerous than the salon alternative. This is due to the fact that it's impossible to control just how strong the UV rays coming off the sun are. A sunbed controls this all automatically though, ensuring that a relatively healthy mix of UVA and UVB rays find their way into your skin's core. If your skin is particularly fair, this is very important. White folks like me tend to burn very easily if exposed to sun rays for any serious length of time. Indoor tanning sunbeds are a way to avoid the sunburned lobster look. They also allow you to do so without taking a whole week off a work!