How To Use A Tanning Bed Safely
If a tanning bed is the only way you can get needed light therapy, ask your dermatologist for his or her insights on how best to use it. Also ask whether youre taking any oral psoriasis treatment thats making your skin more sensitive to light, which could result in a sunburn or other negative side effects, says Feldman.
Here are his other tips for using a tanning bed effectively and safely:
Tanning From Natural Sunlight
If you are tanning your skin with natural sunlight, you should take care not to get sunburn in the end. Even if you are going out to soak your skin up in the sunlight, you should still not forget to apply your sunscreen. Apply the sunscreen on all unaffected areas of your skin, and dont forget to wear sunglasses. Go out when the sun is at its peak heat. Do not stay outside for more than 10 minutes, otherwise you may end up damaging your skin with sun. Start with 10 minutes, and increase the period of 30 seconds every day, as long as your skin can comfortably tolerate it. The natural sunlight will not only help in clearing psoriasis symptoms, but will also allow you to body to produce more of vitamin D.
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Many Patients With Psoriasis Use Sunbeds
EditorPsoriasis usually improves in sunlight, but many patients look for an alternative source of ultraviolet light, either because they are embarrassed to sunbathe in public or because of the unpredictable availability of sunlight. Sunbeds that emit ultraviolet A light might seem an attractive option, but their use, at least for tanning purposes, is discouraged by dermatologists and other healthcare workers.,
To investigate our patients use of sunbeds, we posted a questionnaire to the latest 339 patients who were new referrals aged 16-65 years and in whom a diagnosis of plaque psoriasis was made . All had had psoriatic lesions for at least a year when they received the questionnaire. We received replies from 248 patients ), of whom 128 had used a sunbed to treat their psoriasis. Linear logistic regression showed highly significant and non-interacting effects of age and sex , indicating that sunbed use was generally higher among females and tended to decrease with increasing age . Of the 97 patients who reported the effect of sunbed use on their psoriasis, two found that their condition worsened, 17 reported no change, and 78 reported an improvement. We detected no associations between perceived efficacy and age, sex, or tanning ability . Of the sunbed users, 56% reported that they had treated themselves more than 20 times in a year, and 13% had treated themselves more than 80 times in a year.
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Can Uv Light Benefit Skin Conditions
The number of Consol customers using the facilities to successfully treat skin conditions are on the rise. Our customers report dramatic, confidence boosting and in some cases, life changing results through regular sessions on our beds and it’s fast becoming apparent that exposure to UV light has many more benefits that simply achieving a sun kissed look.
In search of some answers, we took to the internet to find out why. According to the ‘Life Science Daily’ news desk, patients suffering from psoriasis or other types of skin diseases could benefit from ultraviolet light emitted from commercial tanning beds, a low-cost and effective option to medical phototherapy, according to an expert on the treatment of psoriasis.
Controlled exposure to ultraviolet A or UVB radiation can both effectively treat psoriasis, said Feldman, who is the director of the Psoriasis Treatment Center at Wake Forest Baptist and a former member of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Advisory Board. Feldman took part in a Wake Forest School of Medicine study in 2015 that reviewed the use of tanning beds as a dermatological treatment for different skin conditions.
Selected use of commercial tanning beds in the treatment of dermatologic conditions may be another useful and effective treatment for those patients with an inability to access office-based or home-based phototherapy, the study concluded.
Better Than Beds: Other Uvb Options
If youre concerned about the potential hazards of tanning beds, one helpful alternative is a home UVB light machine. Your doctor may be able to recommend one and give you tips on how best to use it.
In a time and financial pinch? Short but regular doses of plain old sunlight over the course of several weeks may also help. The National Psoriasis Foundation suggests starting with just 5 to 10 minutes of sun exposure every day around noon, gradually increasing your exposure time by half a minute as long as you dont burn. Still, check in first with your doctor to see whether any medications could make you more susceptible to sunburn. Once you have your doctor’s go-ahead, protect any unaffected areas with a strong sunscreen before heading out in the noonday sun.
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Tips To Reduce Your Risk
I was lucky enough to find a couple foundations that would help cover the cost of treatments so I could stop tanning, but I realize that isnt an option for everyone. What I would suggest is to always use your best judgment and think long-term.
Its really easy to get caught up in trying to find something that works for us quick, because this disease is so uncomfortable and burdensome! But trading out one horrible health problem for another isnt a good solution.
If you dont feel you have any other options, take some steps to protect yourself. This may include:
- Protect unaffected skinâ use clothing or sunscreen to protect areas that do not have psoriasis.
- Wear gogglesâprotect your peepers by always wearing black-out tanning googles. You may look funny, but your eyes will thank you.
- Know your skinâtake note of each mole or mark on your body and monitor them. If you notice any new or changing spots, see a dermatologist right away.
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How Does Tanning Help Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin condition that results from an auto-immune disease in which too many skin cells are produced in the system. These extra cells accumulate on the skin surface, causing red welts that appear as raised, thick, silvery scales on different parts of the body. These welts are itchy and painful as well. A number of topical applications and oral medicines are prescribed to relieve the condition. However, one effective natural form of treatment is light therapy. Although there are different forms of light therapies available for psoriasis treatment, including PUVA, laser and UVB, many patients use tanning from sun or tanning bed as an effective treatment for psoriasis as well. Read this oneHOWTO article to find out in detail how does tanning help psoriasis.
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Results Of Light Therapy
Most people who are interested in light therapy are most concerned with when theyll see results. However, light therapy has different results with every person. Depending on your skin type and severity of psoriasis, the amount of time needed for a treatment session will vary. Most people who undergo light therapy have had little improvement from other psoriasis treatment options.
Because of this, many people need repeated light therapy for several weeks to see improvement. Most people experience relief in 3-12 months and have results that last for over six months.
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How Long Can I Expose My Skin To The Sun Before Burning
This depends on many factors, including:
The strength of the sunThis can be assessed by the UV index, announced in summertime weather reports. The UV index is a number representing the strength of the sun, and ranges from 1 to 11+. 1-2 represents low UV, 3-5 moderate UV, 6-7 high UV, 8-10 very high UV and 11+ extreme UV. In the UK the UV index rarely goes above 6 or 7.
Other factors also need to be taken into consideration. For the UK some very approximate guidance can be given on how long individuals can tolerate the sun before burning. Assuming moderate sun strength , and for previously unexposed and currently unprotected skin, then exposure times possible before onset of sunburn are approximately: phototype I, 5-10 minutes phototype II, 10-20 minutes phototype III, 20-30 minutes phototype IV, 40 minutes .
Your sun sensitivityThis is assessed by the Fitzpatrick phototyping scale, which describes how the skin reacts to sun exposure. It was developed in 1975 by Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, the American dermatologist, as a way to classify the typical response of different types of skin to sunlight. The Fitzpatrick scale remains a recognised tool for dermatological research into human skin pigmentation.
What increases the chances of burning?This also depends on many factors, including:
- Which areas of skin are exposed
Scalp, neck, face , upper back and shoulders are more sensitive to the sun than the lower legs.
- How much exposure you have already had
For example, a sunscreen.
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Risks Associated With Tanning Beds For Psoriasis
When you undergo light therapy under the supervision of an expert, he is responsible for monitoring how much light is entering your body. Light therapy is specifically designed to cure your psoriasis and not cause any side effects. But when you expose yourself to sunlight or tanning bed, there is no one to monitor your exposure, and you may end up with several side effects and even worsening your condition. The National Psoriasis Foundation discourages the use of commercial tanning beds as it does not ensure that the wavelengths used are safe for the patientâs skin.
Light therapy is targeted to only the affected areas of your body, but sunlight or a tanning bed applies excessive heat and light to your entire body. As a result, this increases your risk of developing skin cancer and other skin conditions. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet light can make your skin look older and leathery. So, if you are sure how much tanning you should get, and if you can control your exposure, then tanning can prove to be your ultimate treatment for psoriasis.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How does Tanning Help Psoriasis â Everything you Need to Know, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.
Do Sunbeds Help Acne Scarring
Many tanning salons suggest that sunbeds or tanning beds can help to reduce the appearance of acne scarring. This is completely false and, to make matters worse, tanning beds can actively damage and worsen skin affected by acne scars! When the skin works to heal an acne scar, collagen and elastin fibers are particularly vulnerable to UV rays, and tanning can limit the bodys natural ability to heal the skin.
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Psoriasis Patients Flock To Salons
Almost 19 out of 20 tanning facility owners 93 percent say that their salons have clients who tan primarily as an informal treatment for psoriasis, according to a SmartTan.com poll conducted in late February.
That finding supports several other Smart Tan surveys showing that many who follow indoor tannings cosmetic protocol are informally and inexpensively treating their psoriasis as a side-effect of their cosmetic tan.
- A 2010 Smart Tan survey of 6,881 indoor tanning clients revealed that 11 percent of tanning clients say a doctor referred them to a tanning salon for therapeutic reasons and that 28 percent of those referring physicians were dermatologists. The survey shows that the recent press release from the American Academy of Dermatology in which the organization contended that 100 percent of dermatologists discourage tanning is baseless.
- In a 2009 SmartTan.com poll 67 percent of salons reported having dermatologists in their communities who are in favor of moderate UV exposure as long as tanners avoid sunburn.
Based on the 2010 consumer survey, dermatologists refer an estimated 900,000 people to sunbeds in the United States every year. Two of my doctors told me I needed to tan: my dermatologist for my skin psoriasis, and my regular doctor for depression from not getting enough sun lightTanning did help a lot, said Robert Van Dine, a patron at Midnight Sun & Cruise in Holland, Mich., a Smart Tan member facility.
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The Role Of Sunlight: How Can It Help Psoriasis
Most people who have psoriasis find that the sun helps to improve their skins appearance. For some the change is dramatic, with red scaly patches almost disappearing altogether during summer months in a warm climate.
In order to help clear psoriasis, sun exposure needs to be spread over time. A week on a sunny holiday may help but rarely completely clears psoriasis, and if the skin is exposed too soon for too long, sunburn can result, which could cause injury to the skin. In some people with psoriasis such injury can start a new plaque of psoriasis at the site of the injury. This is known as Koebnerisation, after the German dermatologist Heinrich Koebner. Therefore it is important to increase exposure to the sun gradually, to allow your skin to adapt to the sun without burning.
Because ultraviolet light is so effective for many with psoriasis, it is often used in various artificial forms. Ultraviolet phototherapy is a highly effective set of treatments for psoriasis given by hospital dermatology departments and specialist phototherapy centres. UV phototherapy is used in one of two forms: UVB or PUVA. UVB uses short-wave UVB light while PUVA uses a plant-derived photosensitiser with long-wave UVA light. If you need these treatments, your GP or healthcare provider can refer you to a dermatologist who will discuss the most suitable treatment for your psoriasis, including phototherapy.
Uva And Uvb For Psoriasis
So how does tanning help psoriasis when you are prescribed phototherapy by your doctor?Tanning uses synthetic or natural sunlight to treat and relieve psoriasis. Your skin absorbs ultraviolet rays as you get the tan outside or in a tanning bed. The Sun has ultraviolet rays made up of UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays can effectively treat the symptoms of psoriasis, as they work by slowing down the rapid growth and shedding rate of your skin. But some doctors choose UVA instead of UVB, as UVA are shorter and penetrate into the skin deeply. This kind of tanning treatment can be effective in treating moderate psoriasis condition. If tanning with UVA alone is not successful in treating it, then PUVA therapy remains the best option.
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What About Tanning Beds
You may wonder if indoor tanning beds can treat psoriasis. This has been a topic of discussion among the psoriasis community. However, the benefits of tanning beds arent clear. This practice is actively discouraged by many medical groups because it carries an increased risk for skin cancer.
The NPF discourages the use of indoor tanning beds for a variety of reasons. One is that tanning beds generally emit more UVA light than UVB light. UVA light without medication, such as psoralen, is relatively ineffective at treating psoriasis.
Still, some research suggests that indoor tanning beds can help psoriasis. One study concluded that indoor tanning beds may be useful in treating dermatologic conditions for people who are unable to access light therapy prescribed and managed by a doctor. The study encourages doctors to provide guidelines for this practice, as many people try it anyway.
What Are The Risks Of Sun Exposure
As with any source of UV, sunlight comes with some dangers. UVA wavelengths penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin and are largely responsible for the tanning effect of the sun. However, UVA can eventually cause damage to the skin, resulting in the typical signs of photoageing: wrinkles, broken veins, sagging skin and age spots. Meanwhile, UVB is largely responsible for sunburn. It is thought that episodes of severe sunburn, especially in young people, increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer in the future. Also, bad sunburn can cause psoriasis to start where the skin is burned . So, it is wise to gradually expose your skin to the sun in order to avoid sunburn. Excessive lifetime exposure to all wavelengths in sunlight can increase the risks of skin cancers, and this has been illustrated in the great increase in the numbers of skin cancers seen in recent decades since overseas holidays have been affordable and widely available. You are at the highest risk if you are fair and your skin does not tan easily. Always check your skin type for suitable sun care protection.
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