solarium
A solarium ( also known colloquially in Germany as a sunbed ) is a technical device for irradiating the body with UV light . As a rule, this is used to tan the skin for cosmetic reasons; Solariums are also used in medicine to treat skin diseases . The Latin word solarium already existed in ancient times . It is derived from sol (" sun ") and originally referred to a terrace or a flat roof . The word was borrowed for the first time in Old High German times and still lives on today as a Söller . According to statistical information from December 2010, there were 45,000 commercially operated solarium devices in Germany. On average, Germans visit a solarium around two to three times a year. Individuals can also be irradiated daily (as of 2002).
At the same time, politicians, doctors and health organizations such as the German Cancer Aid have been warning of the dangers of artificial UV rays for years , because using them can increase the risk of skin cancer . One result is that on January 1, 2012 the Ordinance on Protection against the Harmful Effects of Artificial Ultraviolet Radiation (UVSV) [Ordinance according to Sections 3 and 5 (2) of the Law on Protection from Non-Ionizing Radiation (NiSG)] came into force. It ensures "more safety in solariums". The Australian state of New South Wales banned solariums after 2014 by a decision of February 2012. In Vienna, 40% of solariums were closed between 2007 and 2017.
technology
The essential technical components of a solarium are an artificial UV radiation source , various filters and reflectors as well as a mechanical structure with a fixed usable area.
Mercury vapor lamps are used as the source of UV radiation . It is a glass bulb with electrodes attached to both sides. When current flows through these electrons are emitted. A collision of the electrons with the mercury atoms in the glass bulb leads to the emission of ultraviolet radiation . The tanning lamps used in solariums are coated with a fluorescent substance . When the ultraviolet radiation hits, it is transformed into the desired long-wave spectrum by the luminous layer. By adapting the characteristics of the luminous layer, it is possible to achieve the desired proportions of UV-A and UV-B radiation.
Low-pressure tubes are sometimes used in solariums. These have a longer electrode frame than conventional fluorescent tubes. In low-pressure pipes, the temperature necessary for their functioning is lower. In addition to increased performance, this property results in a longer service life.
A special technical feature is the (white) reflector layer used in some tanning lamps along half of the cylinder circumference. By slurrying these into the glass bulbs, external reflectors in the solariums become obsolete.
Different tanning results can be achieved in solariums of different strengths. This is due on the one hand to the different strengths of UV tubes and on the other hand to the different ratios between the UV-A and UV-B components of the UV radiation. While the UV-A component mainly creates a superficial tan that appears very quickly and is intense, but also fades faster, UV-B radiation is primarily responsible for longer tanning results. The disadvantage of UV-B radiation is that the tan only becomes visible one to two days after visiting the solarium. Many sunbeds also have one or more quartz lamps in the area opposite the face for an additional intensive field of vision tanning according to the principle of the sunlamp . It is therefore necessary to choose the appropriate tanning bed depending on the desired tanning goal. The equipment configuration in terms of manufacturer, device type and model can vary from tanning salon to tanning salon and is at the discretion of the operator. There are still a few older devices in the studios which, due to their radiation intensity of 0.6 watt / m² and more, can no longer be certified and according to the recommendations of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) should actually no longer be operated.
Newer devices (e.g. "0.3 watt devices") meet the current legal requirements according to the Brussels resolution of July 2007 and are considered harmless. Nevertheless, the use of artificial UV radiation should be dosed in moderation and adapted to the respective skin type .
UV protection in solariums
The BfS offers solarium operators the option to have the safety of their devices tested and certified on a voluntary basis. However, in the first three years only 90 of over 4,000 commercial sunbed operators took advantage of this option. In 2002 the BfS found in random tests: "A large part of the solariums examined had irradiation intensities that exceeded the intensity of the midday sun at the equator several times." Therefore, the duration of irradiation in the solarium is usually much shorter than sunbathing in the natural sun .
A ban on the use of solariums for minors on the grounds that there was a risk of cancer was part of the planned environmental code that failed in January 2009 . Initially, the authorities (including the BfS) had tried a voluntary system, but very few of the tanning salons took part. The ban was then issued independently of the Environmental Code. On March 10, 2009, the draft law was passed by Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel in the Federal Cabinet and passed on June 19, 2009 by the Bundestag . On December 21, 2011, the ban on sunbeds for minors was confirmed by the Federal Constitutional Court.
The ordinance on protection against the harmful effects of artificial ultraviolet radiation , which has been in force since January 2012, on the basis of the law on protection against non-ionizing radiation when used on humans , was passed in the Federal Cabinet in December 2010 . According to this, among other things, the presence of trained specialists in solariums should become mandatory and compliance with the European radiation limit values, which is often not given due to the associated retrofitting costs, should also be enforced for old devices by law. The regulation specifies u. a. Requirements for staff, equipment and information obligations for operators of solariums. Since January 1, 2012, violations of the law have been threatened with severe penalties.
In 2007 the Federal Office for Radiation Protection published a UV primer with a lot of information. Among other things, there is a detailed dosage plan with numerous instructions to be observed.
Health risks
The well-intentioned intention to make a pre-tanning of the skin appear sensible before going on vacation is a fallacy, since only UV-B itself can activate its own protection, and the harmful UV-A is also accepted. With UV radiation that causes a tan, damaging skin changes can never be ruled out.
17,000 solariums are in freely accessible areas such as coin studios , swimming pools , hotels as well as wellness and fitness facilities and, in the opinion of health experts, should be abolished. Of the currently around 14 million tanning beds in Germany between the ages of 18 and 45, more than a quarter started using artificial tanning in tanning salons between the ages of ten and 17.
The driving force against the use of solariums for cosmetic purposes has been the German Cancer Aid since the 1990s . Around 195,000 people across Germany would develop skin cancer annually , 24,000 of them from the particularly dangerous black skin cancer ( malignant melanoma ), from which around 3,000 people die each year. The cancer registry only records malignant melanoma of the various types of skin cancer. The main risk factor for the development of skin cancer is natural and artificial UV radiation from the sun and solariums. A meta-analysis published in 2018 by an international team of researchers led by Professor Jörg Reichrath from the Saarland University Hospital shows that there is no causal relationship between moderate use of tanning beds and an increased risk of melanoma.
The World Health Organization expressly rejects the use of solariums for cosmetic tanning of the skin. It refers to the generally negative influence of UV rays, which has been proven in medical research, due to accelerated skin aging, an increased risk of developing skin cancer and possible damage to the eyes. The WHO has classified tanning beds as carcinogenic since 2009. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) points out that possible consequential damage to the immune system can in turn damage the organism as a whole. The Commission on Radiological Protection (SSK) even advises against the use of sunbeds for cosmetic purposes in principle from. According to a study by the Institute for Environmental Medicine Research (IUF) in Düsseldorf, the infrared A radiation that is also emitted also causes premature skin aging. The BfS recommends that people who do not want to do without the use of a solarium clarify the individual risk with a dermatologist before their visit, minimize the number of visits, and under no circumstances carry out more than 50 visits including additional sunbathing per year, before going on holiday Refraining from going to the solarium, always wearing appropriate protective goggles and not using cosmetics, including sun cream , beforehand .
Before visiting a solarium, first-time users should always determine the skin type and obtain advice from the staff. Especially fair-skinned people with a high risk of sunburn and skin cancer are generally not advised to use a solarium.
The European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Goods advises people with known risk factors for skin cancer not to use tanning beds. This includes people with sensitive skin, freckles, irregular or numerous moles, and a familial occurrence of melanoma. Eye protection should be worn when using tanning beds. Solariums should not be used by people under the age of 18, as the risk of skin cancer is particularly high if sunbeds are used in youth.
Education about the consequences of radiation
The German Cancer Aid 2012 launched the most spectacular education about health damage caused by visiting solariums with the aim of warning young people in particular about the dangerous rays in the solarium. She posted a video on the Internet in which the pig “Rosi” is burned in the laboratory with UV rays. Many people were so outraged that the online action was stopped prematurely. The all-clear came as part of the stern TV show : The laboratory test was only a pretend, the pig, with its real name Smarty, who is experienced in film appearances, is doing well. According to current figures, around 3.5 million people up to 35 years of age in Germany visit solariums, including 167,000 young people.
Alleged positive health effects
Winter depression
Solariums are said to help against the so-called winter depression . This is understood to be seasonal depression, which mainly occurs in the dark autumn and winter months. The low intensity of sunlight is believed to be the cause of this type of depression. Those affected often try to compensate for the lack of light by visiting solariums in order to counteract the winter depression. To treat winter depression, however, irradiation in solariums is unsuitable.
Winter depression can be treated with light therapy using special light therapy devices. It is important that the eye absorbs light through the retina. However, the light from the sunbed is harmful to the human eye and is not particularly suitable for light therapy.
Vitamin D deficiency
Several medical studies are currently underway to determine to what extent a regular visit to the solarium can prevent vitamin D deficiency. Some doctors claim that a two-week visit to the solarium would be necessary for an adequate supply of vitamin D in winter. This topic is still controversially discussed in the media.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Annual Report 2002 ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection ( BfS )
- ↑ Ordinance on protection against the harmful effects of artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVSV)
- ↑ Law on the protection against non-ionizing radiation when used on humans (NiSG)
- ^ Cancer Aid President Fritz Pleitgen on the assessment of the law and ordinance on January 2, 2012 in: More protection against UV rays in artificial sunbathing , WAZ of January 18, 2012.
- ^ Solariums banned across NSW , Abc News , February 4, 2012
- ↑ More and more solariums are blocked from orf.at, February 13, 2017, accessed February 13, 2017.
- ↑ BfS: What are solariums?
- ↑ BfS: Voluntary certification process for solariums
- ↑ Critical evaluation of the certification initiative (sunpalace.de) ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ New attempt to ban solariums? In: Doctors newspaper , February 22, 2009
- ↑ Focus: Health - Ban on solariums for young people
- ↑ Stern: Solarium forbidden for young people ( Memento from June 20, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b Law on protection against non-ionizing radiation when used on humans (NiSG). (PDF file; 41 kB)
- ↑ Decision of the BVerfG of December 21, 2011, Az. 1 BvR 2007/10.
- ↑ Discussion of the decision by Stefan Jablonski in the journal for legal studies (PDF file; 58 kB) (ZJS) 02/2012, 273
- ↑ Welt from January 19, 2012: Tanning salon remains a taboo zone for minors
- ↑ Tagesschau.de ( Memento from December 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (accessed on December 22, 2010)
- ↑ juravendis.de ( Memento of the original from March 24, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on December 22, 2010)
- ↑ UV Protection Ordinance - UVSV of July 20, 2011 ( BGBl. I p. 1412 )
- ^ UV Primer: Approved tanning salon, certification criteria of the BfS
- ↑ BfS_2007_UV_Fibel.pdf
- ^ Prevention advice7 of the German Cancer Aid, edition 5/2005
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. no longer available
- ↑ a b Risk of skin cancer when using tanning beds Deutsche Krebshilfe, December 22, 2010
- ^ Robert Koch Institute (editor): Cancer in Germany 2005/2006 - Frequencies and Trends. ( Memento of the original from November 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 7th edition, 2010, p. 19f.
- ↑ Meta-analysis - "No causal relationship between solarium use and skin cancer". Doctors newspaper online, January 30, 2018.
- ↑ WHO information brochure on the use of solariums
- ^ WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer Monograph Working Group: A review of human carcinogens — Part D: radiation. In: The Lancet Oncology. Volume 10, Issue 8, August 2009, pp. 751-752.
- ↑ Protection of people from the dangers of UV radiation in solariums. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Recommendation of the Radiation Protection Commission and scientific justification, Bonn, 2001.
- ↑ P. Schröder, J. Krutmann: Infrared-A induced skin aging. In: MA Farage, KW Miller, HI Maibach (Eds.): Textbook of aging skin. Springer, 2010, pp. 421-426; P. Schröder, J. Haendeler, J. Krutmann: The role of near infrared radiation in photoaging of the skin. In: Exp Gerontol. 43 (7) 2008, pp. 629-632; P. Schröder, SM Schieke, A. Morita: Premature skin aging by infrared radiation, tobacco smoke and ozone. In: BA Gilchrest, J. Krutmann (Ed.): Skin aging. Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg 2006, pp. 45–54.
- ↑ Solarium: Radiant Seducer. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on: brigitte.de , February 4, 2009.
- ↑ BfS: Information for solarium users
- ↑ Sunbeds & Ultraviolet Radiation. Summary of a report by the SCCP
- ↑ Eckhard Breitbart, Chairman of the Dermatological Prevention Group.
- ↑ Schweriner Volkszeitung - "Solarium useless for winter depression - light therapy can help"
- ^ German Green Cross - “Artificial winter sun against depression? UV rays in solariums have no influence on winter depression "
- ↑ Stiftung Warentest - "Tanning salons: What you need to know"
- ↑ The tanning bed every two weeks fills the vitamin D batteries, Doctors Zeitung Online, February 5, 2012, accessed on September 25, 2012
- ^ Health from the Solarium Spiegel online, March 10, 2005, accessed on September 25, 2012
