Tanning Buyers Group

Why Tanning Is Popular

Every Spring and Summer men and women flock to the beaches, yards and pools of the world to sit out in the sun, tan and relax.

The vast majority of the United States population considers a glowing tan to be a sign of health and beauty. That opinion has not changed in nearly a hundred years.

Getting a tan usually goes hand in hand with having fun outdoors and indicates you are active, popular and successful. Looking good, success and popularity are interlinked forever.

But is tanning really healthy or not? Clearly we have come to learn that overexposure is not good. Your body tells you this by creating a painful burn that makes you miserable for a reason. Many studies have been done and nobody is certain of anything. The offset of positives versus negatives remains a debated issue with no clear resolution.

All this is true despite billions of dollars spend by huge pharmaceutical companies selling SPF sunscreens.

Tanning is free and that is not good for business.

The Negatives

For detailed information on the suns effects on skin please read this article. As you may note the link to sun exposure is only one of the reasons a person can get skin cancer. A major factor is the hereditary formation of cancer cells passed through generations. Another source is exposure to chemicals and toxic products common in modern society. Some portion of the population should reduce their sun exposure altogether and avoid overexposure at all cost.

Each year around 8,000 people die from skin cancer in the US. Of that number a portion will have died as a direct result of overexposure to UV rays. The other portion succumbed to the disease due to hereditary factors unrelated to excessive UV exposure. While not trivial by any means this compares to 580,000 unhealthy eating and inactivity related deaths per year, 440,000 annual US deaths from smoking and 40,000 annual travel related deaths.

The Positives

The improvement in your physical appearance is a very subjective thing, but the vast majority of people believe that a person with toned skin looks healthier. Many people actually report feeling better and healthier as a result of sitting in the sun. Still more believe that their skin and complexion are improved during Spring and Summer when they get more sun exposure as part of their daily lives.

UV exposure has also been proven to increase the level of Vitamin D in the body, reduce the effects of SAD, improve the skin condition of people with psoriasis, improve many fungal and viral skin, as well as, acne and other conditions.