Hammocks and solaria

What are hammocks?

Sunloungers are artificial tanning devices that are used to tan or darken the skin. They can be in the form of a lying bed or a vertical cubicle in which the user is located.

The term 'solarium' can sometimes be used, but this generally applies to a commercial establishment that offers sessions in a hammock.

How do artificial tanning devices work?

Some light tubes surround the user so that his body receives a relatively uniform exposure on all sides. Other tanning devices include portable solar lamps that are placed in front or at an angle to the skin. Like the sun, light tubes in artificial tanning devices, such as loungers and sunlamps, emit ultraviolet light (UV) radiation, as well as some visible light.

The intensity of UV radiation emitted by lamps in a sunbed, and the relative proportions of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB), depend on how the bulbs are manufactured and can vary with the pressure of the gas in the light. . Tube and different inner linings. The UV radiation from a sun bed can vary markedly from the UV radiation from the sun. It can, for example, have a much higher proportion of UVA than sunlight and be much more intense, which means that the skin is damaged faster than after sun exposure.

Is it safe to use hammocks?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified natural UV radiation and UV-emitting tanning devices (hammocks) as carcinogenic [one]. A systematic review published in 2012 [2] found that:

• People who have used a sun bed have a 20% higher risk of melanoma that those without
• Those who first used a sunbed before age 35 have an increased 59% risk of developing melanoma.
• The risk of melanoma was calculated to increase by 1.8% with each additional hammock session per year
• The 5.4% of melanoma cases in European countries could be attributed to the use of sunbeds [2].

A more recent study of Norwegian women supports findings of increased melanoma risks in sunbed users and those who used hammocks from an early age, and also found that women who used them before age 30 were diagnosed with melanoma. at a younger age. age than women who had never used hammocks [3].

The link between skin cancer and exposure to UV radiation is quite simple: the greater the exposure to UV radiation, the greater the chance of developing skin cancer and the faster the skin will age. (For more information about the effects UVA and UVB rays have on the skin, see our page on sunburn.)

The only time an artificial tanning device should be used is in the medical phototherapy procedure. This process of exposing the body to UV radiation is useful in treating some skin conditions, including psoriasis and dermatitis. These treatments must be performed under medical supervision.

Tanning addiction

Some people determined to expose their skin to natural or indoor sources of UV radiation consider themselves addicted to the habit. A study published in 2017 reported that, compared to non-users, tanningdependent individuals were six times more likely to be alcohol dependent, five times more likely to exhibit "exercise addiction" and three times more likely to have seasonal affective disorder [4].

What standard and guidelines cover hammocks and their commercial use?

Australia / New Zealand standard for commercial solaria

The Australian / New Zealand standard: Solaria for cosmetic purposes (AS / NZS 2635: 2008), is intended to "provide operators and users of artificial tanning equipment with procedures to reduce the risk associated with indoor tanning" [5]. It sets out a series of procedural and administrative measures on how commercial loungers should be operated, as well as the technical requirements and specifications for loungers. Recommendations include [5]:

• The use of a customer consent form that highlights the risks of exposure to UV radiation.
• The requirement for a skin type assessment before accepting a client and basing the tanning program on the client's skin type.
• The display of posters warning about the risks of exposure to UV rays
• Wearing glasses to protect the eyes.
• The disinfection of the deckchair between users.
• Have trained staff on duty every time the hammock is used
• Control the duration of a hammock session with a timer that can only be set by the operator
• Limit the total UV output and UVB component of the sunbed.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health published a draft of the Guidelines to help operators comply with the Standard [6]. Since 2012, the Ministry of Health has asked public health personnel to visit hammock operators to try to improve compliance. (The results of these visits can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry of Health [7])

Compliance with the Standard is voluntary in most of New Zealand, but in Auckland, many of the requirements have been mandated in the 2014 Auckland Health and Hygiene Statute [8].

The international standard for the manufacture of hammocks

The most recognized international standard that applies to sun loungers is the International Electrochemical Commission Household and similar electrical appliances. Security. Part 2–27: Particular requirements for apparatus for exposing the skin to ultraviolet and infrared radiation.. (IEC 60335-2-27) [9]. (Some countries have adopted this under their national standards framework, with minor variations to suit local conditions.) The standard is part of a series that covers the electrical safety of household appliances and covers tanning beds intended for both commercial and domestic use.

The characteristics of the IEC 60335-2-27 standard include the following [9]:

• It distinguishes between hammocks intended for commercial and domestic use; The maximum allowable UV (irradiance) output for home hammocks is less than for commercial models, and in a home hammock, the UVA and UVB components must be below the established limits
• Specifies how UV exposure is measured.
• Specifies a complete set of instructions and warnings to be provided in the user manual
• Requires tanning beds to be marked to show the UV lamp equivalency code range for replacement lamps (more on this in the next section).

The international standard for solar lamps

The International Electrotechnical Commission Ultraviolet fluorescent lamps used for tanning. Measurement method and specification. (IEC 61228) [10] specifies how UV light output from sunbed lamps should be measured, taking into account the relative effectiveness of UV radiation in causing skin cancer as a function of wavelength (the spectrum of action). It also defines a marking scheme for lamps as a means of ensuring that when bulbs in a sunbed are replaced, the new bulbs have similar characteristics. The equivalence code specified in the Standard has the format: power / reflector type / UV code.

• The "power" is the nominal power of the lamp.
• The four "reflector types" are O (non-reflector), B (wide reflector angle), N (narrow reflector angle), and R (a rectangular reflector).
• The UV code is marked "X / Y". "X" means that the erythemally effective UV irradiation wavelength is in the range of 250-400 nm in mW / m². "Y" means that the effective irradiance of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is at wavelengths ≤ 320nm) / (effective irradiance NMSC at wavelengths> 320nm). This is effectively the UVB: UVA ratio.

For example, in the figure below, the lamp has the equivalence code of 100-R-29 / 2.4.

The code means that:

• The nominal power is 100 W
• It has a rectangular reflector
• The erythemally effective UV at wavelengths of 250–400 is 29 mW / m²
• The ratio of effective UVB of NMSC: effective UVA of NMSC is 2.4.

Hammocks that comply with IEC 60335-2-27 should be marked to show the equivalency codes of the lamps with which they can be used. For example, if the sunbed was manufactured and tested with the tubes shown above, the equivalency code range for the fluorescent UV lamp marked on the sunbed would be the equivalence code range '100-R- (22– 29) / (2.0–2.8). This means that any 100W reflector tube with erythema The weighted irradiance between 22 and 29 and a UVB / UVA ratio between 2.0 and 2.8 could be used in the sunbed.

In general, if the equivalence code of the tubes in the sunbed when tested was '100-RX / Y', the allowed range of X in the replacement tubes is 0.75 XX, and the allowed range of Y in the tubes replacement is 0.85 Y - 1.15 Y.

What regulations govern the use of hammocks?

A variety of approaches have been used around the world to try to manage the risks of using sunbeds, including:

• Total ban on commercial hammock operations.
• Use restrictions (based on age, skin type, or monitoring requirements)
• License operators
• Limit UV intensity and exposure times.
• Recording hammock sessions
• Provide information about the risks (for example, request warning signs and a consent form, and restrict or prohibit the promotion).

The World Health Organization has information on its hammock legislation in different countries on its World Health Observatory website. [eleven]. WHO has also published a brochure on public health interventions to manage sunbeds, which provides examples of approaches taken in different countries. [12].

In Australia, commercial hammocks have been banned since 2016. In New Zealand, the use of hammocks and sun beds by people under the age of 18 has been prohibited since January 2017. Compliance with the New Zealand Standard for Operating Procedures hammocks and sunbeds is voluntary.

What are the myths surrounding the use of hammocks?

Many myths surround the use of tanning devices, some of which are dispelled below.

Sunbathing or using a hammock will help accumulate vitamin D

Most people get enough vitamin D from their diet and accidental exposure to sunlight during their daily routine. Seek medical attention if you are concerned about not getting enough. A consensus statement published by the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Cancer Society recommends not using sunbeds to increase vitamin D due to the increased risk of melanoma.

Getting a tan from a sunbed will provide good skin protection against sunburn

Tanning a tanning bed only provides minimal protection against the effects of sun exposure. It has been estimated that a tan only offers the same protective effect as using a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 2.

I can't have skin cancer and premature skin aging if I tan but don't burn

UVA rays, unlike UVB rays, do not cause the first signs of sunburn, but penetrate the lower layers of the skin and induce premature aging, which can manifest as roughness, blemishes and wrinkles. UVA rays also suppress the skin's immune system, which can play a role in the development of skin cancers. Therefore, you can still develop skin cancers years after exposure to a sunbed, even if you don't have visible sunburn.

The use of hammocks prevents the appearance or slows down the growth of cancers

Some people believe that using hammocks helps to prevent cancers such as breast, prostate, colon, osteoporosis and other diseases. There is no scientific evidence that the use of sunbeds reduces the possibility of developing tumors or other diseases in humans.