Sun, UV care and the law

As with tanning pills that are outlawed in the UK, there are, in some countries, particular laws about tanning that affect pregnant and non-pregnant women. For example, in the United States, mothers who allow their children to get severely sunburned are charged with a felony.

Here, public and government officials are lobbying for stricter regulations for sun bed use, particularly by teenagers. Part of the changes in regulation involves reclassifying the equipment as medical devices class II or III and that users pay a 10 percent tax.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is also trying to implement such regulatory changes across governments to also evaluate the types of tanning equipment used, and the training and qualification of administering staff. WHO reasons for regulating tanning bed use:

• Increase in unsupervised commercial sun beds
• Lack of trained staff for advice
• Competitive pricing for limited sessions
• High intensity of UV rays
• High exposure time during use
• Low intervals during sessions
• Lack of UV protective eyewear
• Impact of certain drugs and UV increase photosensitivity
• Types of equipment and increased exposure

Tanning and Pregnancy:

• Tanning and Pregnancy
• Pregnancy: Hair removal before or after tanning
• Using hair removal creams when pregnant
• Pregnancy: Use of insect repellents when tanning
• Pregnancy: Skin sensitivity and itching when tanning
• Pregnancy and Sunbathing
• Pregnancy: Tanning, Heatstroke and Hyperthermia
• Pregnancy: Tanning and Heat cramps

• Pregnancy and Sunless Tanning
• Pregnancy and Tanning Beds
• Pregnancy and Tanning Pills
• Pregnancy and Fake Tans
• Pregnancy and tanning with Henna
• Sun, UV care and the law