Which is worse, short periods on a sunbed without SPF protection or longer periods, but with sunscreen(SPF20)?

Question

My local sunbeds are run by Europeans who dont use any SPF protection cause they claim they only do short 10-15min sessions and so it cant do any harm. Having been raised in Africa I was taught to always wear sunscreen even on a sunbed, cause even if it takes longer to develop the tan, 30min+, I will not burn and the damage and risk of cancer is lower.
Who is right here?

amandarez73 · Accepted Answer

Short periods with 20+ sunscreen is best.

Tanning is just damage to the skin.  Wearing sunscreen slows down the damage but you can still get skin cancer.  

Personally both are bad.  Here's a little suggestion -- if you have a lot of freckles and moles on your body - in places exposed to the sun or tanning bed; then that is evidence of sun damage.

puppysyndrome · Answer

Neither!  Contrary to what you might think, tanning beds put you at higher risk than being in direct sun.

Lizzy · Answer

longer periods, but with sunscreen(SPF20) 
remember long periods can't give you cancer like tanning can

bevrossg · Answer

If you are tanning you are taking a chance on coming down with melanoma one day perhaps...why do it?

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Which is worse, short periods on a sunbed without SPF protection or longer periods, but with sunscreen(SPF20)?

4 Answers