The first is the claim made for the enormous benefits of UVA radiation for the body! They reject the ‘blazing and potentially dangerous sun’, only to promote ‘the rich golden tan, which gives you that healthy, confident, affluent look. Who could resist, especially as they say that the radiation which produces a tan is also the major source of vitamin D. In fact the major source of vitamin D is dairy products and fish oils, not sunlight. Moreover such supplementation of vitamin D is hardly necessary in our society: vitamin D deficiency results in rickets, a virtually non-existent condition in developed countries.

The second misleading claim concerns the safety of these units. They maintain that they ‘filter out the potentially harmful part of the UV range’, and use only the ‘beneficial tanning rays’. Some even state that they produce ‘a safe tan, without drying and prematurely ageing the skin’, and further, that such tan is a very effective measure towards the prevention of skin cancer’.

Thirdly, they state that ‘it is not necessary to wear protective goggles’. This, in spite of increasing evidence of cataract formation.

It can be seen, therefore, that tanning for cosmetic purposes is not a harmless procedure. This is equally true whether the tan is developed by lying on sunny beaches or frequenting solariums. The greatest disadvantage of the solarium concept is that it allows people to maintain a tan all the year round. Such people thus have the means of accumulating consistent cellular damage, resulting eventually in tissue breakdown which manifests itself as premature ageing and cancer.

The widespread use of solariums is a public health issue, just as smoking has become. In the United States the Government Department of Health and Human Services, together with the Food and Drug Administration, are very much aware of the danger involved in the indiscriminate use of solariums. As a result, regulations governing their use and their equipment are being enforced. All operators are required to be licensed, and their equipment regularly calibrated and checked. Posters must be prominently displayed, warning of the skin and eye dangers, and referring to the various drugs and diseases which may adversely affect the client using the solarium.

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