Eye Damage

• You should always wear tanning goggles in the beds. Goggles protect your eyes from the ultraviolet rays much better than your eyelids alone can. If you don't wear goggles, you risk cornea burn and even possible loss of vision with long-term tanning bed use.
  
  

Skin Cancer

• According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a Swedish study in 1994 found that women between the ages of 18 and 30 who visited an indoor tanning salon 10 times a year or more had a seven times greater chance of developing melanoma. If you tan, make sure you are checked by a dermatologist every year for skin cancer or any other abnormal skin growth.
  
  

Misconceptions

• Although tanning salons might market their product as helping the body produce vitamin D, there are much safer ways to do so. One way is simply to increase your intake of foods like salmon, milk and other dairy products.
  
  

Sunburn

• Because of the risk of burning, tanning salon regulations keep tanners from using the beds more than once in any 24-hour period. This allows your skin enough time to adjust.
  
  When you first begin tanning, keep to six- to 10-minute sessions. Check your skin the next day. If it feels burnt, stay out of the bed for a few days to let your skin heal. If it feels OK, you can add a minute or two to your sessions.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Salons should disinfect a tanning bed after every use to kill any bacteria. Before you begin tanning at a salon, make sure this cleaning policy is followed so that you can avoid rashes or infection.