title: A photobiological evaluation of tanning booths.
abstract: The use of tanning booths as a substitute for natural sunlight is becoming increasingly popular. However, unless careful attention is paid to proper design and maintenance, the radiation field inside a tanning booth can be highly anisotropic. The use of simple, inexpensive ultraviolet radiation meters to measure dosage can lead to serious overexposure. Since the ultraviolet radiation inside a tanning booth has a greater proportion of short wavelengths (less than 300 nanometers) than natural sunlight, the amount of skin cancer-inducing radiation received for a tan may be twice that received for a natural suntan.
mesh_terms: D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D010783:Photometry; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013471:Sunburn / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays