The Unspoken Dangers of Tanning Beds Essays -- Expository Essays Resea

The Unspoken Dangers of Tanning Beds Tanning beds are devices that emit ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) in order to darken one’s skin complexion. It is believed that approximately 28 million Americans are tanning indoors, in some 25,000 tanning salons nationwide (http://www.fda.gov/ cdrh/consumer/tanning.html ). The rising popularity of tanning beds came about a few decades ago when the media and society started emphasizing that bronzed skin was â€Å"in.† A variety of people use tanning beds, both men and women, and for a variety of reasons; some use them as a weekly (or even daily) routine, others use them seasonally (when it’s hard to get a tan in the winter) and then of course there are the â€Å"event† tanners who go before a big event like a prom, wedding or spring break cruise. Media and what it implies about today’s culture has a massive pull factor on what American people buy. Also, the effects of peer pressure cause people to tan in tanning beds; if the majority of your peers are doing it, then you don’t want to be the only pale kid on the block, despite the consequ...