Does Using a Tanning Bed Help Treat Psoriasis?

Dr. Jerry Bagel

Have you ever wondered how light therapy can help psoriasis patients? Phototherapy involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light on a regular basis. It is one of the most effective and safest treatments for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Essentially, the skin, or epidermis, of a psoriasis patient grows too quickly. A normal epidermis takes 28 days to grow. For those with psoriasis, it takes only four days. 

Narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) rays at 311 nanometers is the wave length of a UVB ray that maximizes the benefit and reduces the risk of skin cancer in the treatment of psoriasis. Narrowband UVB decreases the growth rate of the epidermis allowing the skin to become normal. Also, narrowband UVB rays decrease the proliferation of T cells (immune cells) in the dermis, which is elevated in psoriatic skin and is one of the causes of the increased growth rate of the epidermis.

While light is beneficial for psoriasis, don’t assume that the lamps of a tanning bed and the phototherapy provided at a medical dermatologist’s office are the same thing.

Tanning beds utilize ultraviolet A (UVA) light. UVA wave lengths do not decrease the growth rate of the epidermis. UVA rays promote tanning, but has very little therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis.

The National Psoriasis Foundation does not support the use of tanning beds as a treatment option for psoriasis. The American Academy of Dermatology, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all discourage the use of tanning beds and sun lamps. The ultraviolet radiation from these devices can damage the skin, cause premature aging and increase the risk of skin cancer.

While phototherapy is an effective therapy and can keep people clear for six months or more, it only works 70% of the time. In other instances it may be more beneficial to speak with your dermatologist about biologic therapy.

Windsor Dermatology is the home of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey, the state’s first complete facility for advanced psoriasis clinical research. Call us at (609) 443-4500 to schedule an appointment to find out more about treatment options to reduce your psoriasis symptoms.

How Tanning Beds Can Cause Cancer

Dr. Wendy Myers

The buzz about indoor tanning has been increasingly loud lately since a bill recently passed by the State Senate creating tougher age restrictions for teens who want to tan. With the warm weather approaching and Spring Break upon us, it’s time to reveal the hard truth about tanning beds.

How Does Tanning Affect the Skin?

Tanning beds emit UVA and UVB radiation, similar to and at times, greater than the radiation from the sun. UV radiation causes genetic mutations in your skin's DNA. Although UVB rays—the rays of radiation primarily thought to be responsible for skin reddening and sunburn— have been thought to be the main culprit in causing skin cancers, it is now known that UVA is also responsible.

Changes from excessive exposure to these rays lead to premature photo aging, eye damage including cataracts and increased risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer.

Is Melanoma Deadly?

Melanoma skin cancer develops when the pigment producing cells of the skin called melanocytes are mutated, most often by UV radiation. These cells then divide rapidly and form malignant tumors. If recognized early, melanoma is often curable. Unlike other skin cancers though, if left untreated, melanoma can advance and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body, where it can be difficult to treat and even be fatal. While melanoma is not the most frequent skin cancer, it is responsible for the most fatalities. 

What Are the Chances that Melanoma is Caused by Tanning?

The incidence of melanoma has continued to increase over the past several decades. In particular, a dramatic increase in women in their 20s and 30s has been noted. This patient population is more likely to participate in activities such as tanning booths and sun bathing.

70% of tanning salon patrons are girls and women between the ages of 16 to 29. Studies have found a 75% increase in the risk of melanoma in those exposed to UV radiation from tanning booths. This risk for melanoma increases with each use and is increased to 87% for those individuals who start tanning in beds or booths before the age of 35. 

There are many reality stars on TV who endorse indoor tanning as a way of life. But people need to realize the negative effects tanning can have that they don’t show on TV. For more tips on preventing skin cancer, please visit www.skincancer.org or visit the archive of our newsletter, Healthy Skin.