Some people tan very easily in the sun after a short period of time. Others tend to burn. Many people use salons and tanning beds to develop an artificial tan due to lack of time or personal preference.
Here are some reasons to consider before tanning if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes:
1. First of all, you need to understand what tanning actually does. In simple terms, it makes your skin color darker than it already is. However, people have different types of skin. Different races naturally have skin types that can be affected differently. Caucasian people may have fair or slightly darker complexions. The skin can be oily or dry.
All of these factors must be considered before deciding on a tan, whether natural or artificial. Tanning beds can be very dangerous for diabetics because the entire body is exposed to intense UV rays. Although it is a controlled environment, if you have sores of any kind, they can get worse.
2. Many people with diabetes have some degree of nerve damage and they won’t be able to feel if the lightning is burning them… until it’s too late. You can easily become dehydrated, and that means your body won’t be able to process insulin and food as well as it normally would.
Tanning beds are less likely to cause sunburn than the actual sun, but it can still happen. It means your body has to focus on healing and therefore has a reduced ability to fight off other problems like infection and disease.
It is vital that you speak with your tanning consultant to find the best bed configuration if you insist on tanning. Set a specific shutdown time and ask the advisor to check that too, in case they are unaware of the issues.
3. Tanning can cause skin cancer, eye damage and premature aging if proper precautions are not taken. It’s also important not to tan too often as it can become addictive and you can then ignore the health risks and have more problems as a result.
4. You may also develop a rash if you are allergic to ultraviolet light. There are many ways to treat it, but it is a strong indicator that you should not use a tanning bed.
These are just some of the reasons to avoid tanning if you have diabetes. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor first. You should also mention to the tanning counselor that you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes… then appropriate safety measures can be taken.
