Tanning Booths and
Lasik, Bladeless Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, etc.

Many people seeking conventional or custom wavefront Lasik, Bladeless Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, and other forms of refractive surgery also enjoy a nice bronzed body. Often that golden glow is attained through the use of a tanning booth.

There are almost 20,000 tanning salons across the United States that are visited by more than a million people a day. Most salons promote their devices emitting Ultraviolet A (UVA) light which is thought to be safer than Ultraviolet B (UVB) light, although the longer-wave UVA radiation penetrates deeper into the skin. This, essentially, is artificially produced UV light similar to that coming from the sun, however according to recent research, the UVA light received in a salon may be two to three times more than the UVA light we receive from the sun.

For all intents and purposes, the use of a tanning booth after refractive surgery is the same as before refractive surgery. In all circumstances, the eyes must be 100% totally blocked from the UV light. Any deviation from this hard and fast rule can lead to damage of the retina and early formation of cataracts.

According to the Consumer and Clinical Radiation Protection guidelines, the tanning booth operator should provide each client/customer with ultraviolet radiation safety eyewear that complies with the Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations (Tanning Equipment) and covers the eyes securely. Instructions should be given on how to wear them.

Protective eyewear used with sunlamps or tanning beds must meet three criteria. The eyewear must have a spectral transmittance that is:

• not more than 0.001 over the wavelength range from 200 to 320 nm;
• not more than 0.01 over the wavelength range from 320 to 400 nm; and
• sufficient over wavelengths greater than 400 nm to enable the user to read the labels and use the controls mentioned in the requirements.

While we are on the subject of UVA light, it is very important to wear 100% UVA and UVB protection sun glasses if you even think of going outside after you have had a surface ablation refractive surgery technique like Lasik, PRK, or Epi-Lasik. The risk of UV light contributing to corneal haze is elevated during the first 3-6 weeks after surgery.

Additionally, there is a strong link between UVA light and malignant melanoma, a dangerous type of skin cancer.

Expert bodies such as the FDA recommend that tanning booths should be avoided. This does not mean that everyone who uses a tanning booth will have an adverse health effect like wrinkles, brown spots, cataracts, retina damage, cell mutations, or skin cancer. Likewise, people who go out in the sunlight unprotected from UV light will not necessarily suffer harmful effects. Of course, we should be aware that some harmful effects like skin cancer and cataracts take many years to appear.

You may find that your desire to visit your local tanning salon is greater than just wanting to have a tan. Habitual patrons of tanning parlors may be drawn to the ultraviolet exposure for its mood-boosting ability, says a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Dermatologists speculate that endorphins, the "feel-good" chemicals released in the brain during exercise, may also be released when the body is exposed to UV light.

This can be a dangerous combination: Damaging UV light, the desire for a nice looking tan, and feel-good endorphins running amok.

As mentioned, melanoma is a deadly cancer that has been associated with UV light, and it is essential you have your skin checked regularly by a physician. The warning signs of skin cancer can be easily remembered as the ABC's of skin cancer:

A - Asymmetry - An abnormal lesion will have one side looking different than the other side.

B - Border - Watch for an irregular border or one with roughly demarcated edges.

C - Color - Observe for lesions that have changed color over time or are multi-colored.

D - Diameter - Be suspicious of lesions that are larger than a pencil eraser.

Any lesion that appears suspicious to you should be called to the attention of a physician.

Refractive surgery may not place significant additional limits on the use of a tanning salon, but clearly one should calculate the relative risk and benefit.