We all want that sexy bronzed look and you can't beat the real thing, in other words a real sun tan as opposed to a fake one, but it's important to also be aware of tanning bed dangers. There are a lot of real benefits to exposure to the sun, whether that be from a sun bed or the sun itself. Apart from the obvious tanning benefit, it can also give you a boost during the winter months when sunlight is at a minimum. Plus there are some types of skin condition, such as psorasis that respond well to sessions on sun tanning beds.

Let's take a look at some tanning bed dangers and what you can do to protect yourself against them

Obviously, skin cancer is the most concerning of all risks associated with sun tanning beds. There are two types of rays that can cause damage. UVA and UVB. The latter is thought to be slightly more harmful, but research is still going on and there are reports to suggest that UVA, although less likely to cause problems, is the one that can lead to the most aggressive form of cancer, which is melanoma

However, any regular, prolonged skin exposure to the sun puts you at risk, so it's not just sun tanning beds. The reason tanning bed dangers have had so much publicity is because people tend to over use them and not use the correct skin protection. Basically, a lot of people are impatient and they want their tan now, they don't want to wait for it to build up over time. If you want to use sun tanning beds, then you can do so as safely as possible by following a few guidelines. The salon you visit will have guidelines in place, but they don't always give you full advice. It depends a lot on the salon and the staff who work there.

To protect against tanning bed dangers as far as your skin is concerned, start off very slowly, with just one minute exposure on the sun tanning bed. Wait three days before your next session of two minutes. Wait another three days and then have another two minute session. Keep repeating until you have built up the level of tan you desire and then to maintain it, a two minute session once a week should be enough. Of course, the lenghth of session will vary a bit depending on the type of sun tanning bed. Some of the older types will require longer, but this is ok because you are still getting the same amount of exposure to the rays. Try to find a salon where somebody will explain to you the different types of sun tanning beds they have and the safest way to protect against tanning bed dangers.

The other thing you should be aware of is the potential damage to your eyes through using sun tanning beds. The cornea and retina are both senstive to UV rays. Simply closing your eyes is not good enough because the rays go through your eyelids. This can be quite a serious tanning bed danger, so do not take it lightly. The good news is that it's easy to eliminate entirely. Wear eye protection in the form of goggles or eye patches either provided by the salon, or you can purchase your own beforehand

The last on the list of tanning bed dangers is not so serious, but nobody wants it. Premature aging and that leathery look that you see so often on people who have had too much sun exposure over many years. Get the best skin protection creme you can afford. There's no point having a gorgeous tan if it's going to make you look old and wrinkly in a few years time! So get good skin protection and stick to the sun tanning bed session time and you won't need to worry about premature aging

Hopefully this information has been useful to you and helped you to understand what you can do to reduce or eliminate tanning bed dangers