Psoriasis and Tanning Beds

Credit: Rich McDonald

I ran across a headline during a general Google search stating, “Kim Kardashian At Ulta – Promotes Kardashian Sun Kissed.”  This was immediately next to another headline touting, “Kim Kardashian  Flaunts Cleavage in Tight Pink Dress.”  The second headline itself was no more shocking to me than, “Scientists Determine that Water is Wet.”  However, the first headline grabbed my attention as I wanted to see whether or not Mrs. West was promoting “safe” tanning products or tanning enhancers.

When I clicked the link, there she was in her tight pink dress and plenty of cleavage.  In truth, all things Kardashian, or any name associated with tabloid headline pandering, simply turns me off.  To use an old cliché, I was reading this for the article.

Sure enough, Kim was appearing at a Los Angeles Ulta Beauty Store to promote the Kardashian Sun Kissed tanning line.  While her tanning product line does include self-tanning products, it also includes a “tanning extender” which is used after tanning to lengthen the life of one’s tan.  This didn't surprise me at all as I had little faith that any Kardashian would promote sun safety, despite having had episodes of skin cancer in the family.  While there was no surprise in the article, there was one major face-palm quote from Kim.

When I travel, the one thing that makes me feel alive whether or not I have makeup on is a tan, especially in my face. When you travel, you can’t just go lay out. I do like regular tanning because I have psoriasis, and the tanning beds are particularly good for that.

Tanning beds are good for that…that being good for the treatment of psoriasis?  I've heard that before.  I’ve addressed it before.  But I’ll address it again.

If you search the internet for “Psoriasis and tanning beds,” you’ll find a variety of information on both sides of the argument.  The fact is that Phototherapy is indeed a legitimate way to treat psoriasis.  Ultraviolet B rays (UVB) penetrates the skin and slows the growth of the affected cells.  Treatment is recommended to be administered on a set schedule by a medical professional, although there are home-based systems available by prescription only.  Sometimes, the UVB therapy is combined with a topical agent or other medication to make the treatments more efficient.  UVA rays are also used in other forms of light therapy, but only in conjunction with a medication psoralen which makes the skin more sensitive and much be monitored VERY closely.  All therapies described above, in fact are monitored closely by a health care specialist.  

So tanning beds should be a good alternative…right?  Wrong!  The majority of tanning beds emit primarily UVA rays which are mostly ineffective against psoriasis, unless combined with psoralen as mentioned above.  But again, this medication causes the skin to be much more light-sensitive and severe burning will occur.  There are tanning beds that emit UVB rays, but they are hardly regulated for intensity and not properly adjusted for specific treatment of psoriasis.

The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) has this to say about tanning beds:

Phototherapy (light therapy), performed under medical supervision is safe, effective, and cost-effective. The National Psoriasis Foundation does not support the use of indoor tanning beds as a substitute for phototherapy performed with a prescription and under the supervision of a physician. Only medical professionals should provide and advertise light therapy for the treatment of psoriasis.

The NPF goes on to say that the “spectra of light in tanning beds vary greatly and often include wavelengths of light that are carcinogenic and photo-damaging.” The NPF’s full statement on tanning beds can be found here.

There are plenty of accounts online from people that claim that tanning beds DID help with their psoriasis, and I don’t doubt that they believe that.  Many people don’t consider other influences that may have simultaneously impacted their improved condition.  Did they change their medication?  Were there other changes?  Or did their condition improve simply from the placebo effect?  I don’t often doubt that when something works, it works.  But at the same time, I feel it’s best to take the advice of medical professionals devoted to the treatment of this skin condition rather than trust the declaration of a tabloid celebrity.

Disclaimer reminder…I’m not a medical professional.  I’m just a guy that’s expressing his opinion based on what I've read in articles from various organizations and individuals representing various views related to melanoma and skin cancer.  My opinions are mine and I’m not paid by anyone to express them.  And trust me, I wish I were getting paid just to be me.  But then again, if I was, I’d probably be a Kardashian.

Discussing the "Health Benefits" of Tanning Beds

[IMAGE] myhealthnewsdaily.com

Those who support the tanning salon industry tend to taut the supposed health benefits of tanning beds.  As soon as one opposes their views, they tend to accuse our resources as being biased and guilty of using “sun-scare” tactics.  I decided to dig a little deeper and find out what others might say about tanning bed benefits as related to psoriasis, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD ), and Vitamin D deficiency.

 

 Psoriasis

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation,” Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious.  Psoriasis is the most common autoimmune disease in the U.S. As many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis.”

There are various treatments for psoriasis, including phototherapy.  One type of phototherapy is using UVB radiation, either broad-band or narrow-band, with the latter providing quicker results.  It should be noted that all phototherapy treatments require a prescription. 

UVA rays, which are the primary UV radiation of tanning beds, are relatively ineffective unless used with a light-sensitizing medication.  There seem to be more side-effects with UVA treatment and this method is more effective on psoriasis of the palms and soles.

Regarding the use of tanning beds, the National Psoriasis Foundation states the following:  “Some people visit tanning salons as an alternative to natural sunlight. Tanning beds in commercial salons emit mostly UVA light, not UVB. The beneficial effect for psoriasis is attributed primarily to UVB light. The National Psoriasis Foundation does not support the use of tanning beds as a treatment option for psoriasis.”

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Per the Mayo Clinic, “Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.”  One course of treatment for SAD is another type of phototherapy.

In light therapy, a person with SAD sits a few feet away from a bright light therapy box which mimics outdoor light and causes chemicals in the brain to change, thus improving the mood.  It has been stated by the tanning industry that tanning beds provide the type of light necessary for proper treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is simply not true.

The Mayo Clinic discusses this a bit more.  “Some people claim that tanning beds help ease seasonal affective disorder symptoms. But this hasn't been proved to work. Visible light, not the UV light released by tanning beds, is used in light therapy. The type of light released by tanning beds can damage your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer.”

 

Vitamin D Deficiency

This is probably the number one “health benefit” cited by the tanning industry.  In fact, I recall hearing one NC State legislator argue against a tanning bed bill based solely on the supposed vitamin D benefits.

It’s difficult to find any unbiased information regarding vitamin D and tanning beds.  Tanning supporters obviously see tanning beds as a cure-all for vitamin D deficiency.  Organizations such as the Skin Cancer Foundation side towards debunking the benefits all together.  I tried to read a little of both sides as well as unbiased articles to formulate my own opinion.

There is no doubt that vitamin D is important to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus and aids in increasing bone density.  According to the Mayo Clinic, “Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources, such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. The sun also contributes significantly to the daily production of vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure is thought to be enough to prevent deficiencies.”  Other sources claim that 20 minutes of exposure on the arms and face alone will also provide enough daily vitamin D.

Recall that sunlight contains both UVA and UVB radiation.  Vitamin D absorption occurs during exposure to UVB rays.  As stated before, tanning beds primarily emit UVA rays.  It stands to reason that standard tanning beds offer no real benefit for increasing vitamin D levels.

There are some tanning beds that emit mostly UVB rays.  Studies performed at Boston University concluded that such tanning beds do increase vitamin D production.  However, most general practitioners and dermatologists will recommend simple vitamin D supplements.  From my own personal experience, I was found to have a deficiency about 3 years ago.  My doctor recommended that I take a daily 1000 IU supplement.  The cost of this daily pill is about 2 cents per day!  Since that time, my levels have been well within the normal range.

In short, vitamin D levels can be increased by tanning beds, but ONLY from those designed to emit UVB rays.   Most standard tanning beds at tanning salons are not such tanning units.  An equally effective and safer mode of increasing your vitamin D levels is through various dietary sources and/or through daily supplements.  “Taking vitamin D supplements instead of tanning, either in a tanning bed or in natural sunlight, does not carry the same risk for skin cancer.” – LiveStrong Foundation

 

As always, do the research yourself.  There are plenty of websites sponsored and written by associations and businesses supporting the tanning industry.  There are also many sites devoted to skin health that discourage the use of tanning beds. 

After reading many sites over several days, I’ve concluded that there are no health benefits from using tanning beds that one can’t find through an alternative source.  In some cases, the preferred treatments of various ailments are significantly more effective and possibly less expensive.  There’s no point risking skin cancer for a health benefit that simply doesn’t exist.