Tanning Beds and Psorisis

So do any of you use a tanning bed? I have been tanning for a couple of months now. I started tanning due to having psorisis. I have continued to tan now that I have it under control. However, I have noticed that I have some white splotchy patches. Would this be due to my pigmentation? 

My daughter had those white splotches on her back due to psoriasis and they went away gradually.

I would get them too (i'm very fair skinned) this made me realize that I should probably stay away from tanning beds. I'm just too fair!

There is a common fungal condition that can cause white splotches.  People living in the Carribbean treat it by rubbing Head & Shoulders shampoo on it a couple of times a day, but your doctor can give you a lotion to use.

It's called Tinea Versicolor and super common among tanners.  Its not serious and will generally clear up on it's own, but I do believe a Dr. can perscribe a cream if you wish.  Though be prepared for a lecture.

I haven't used a tanning bed, well. once - back in 1999.  But, I actually saw an article on MSN.com that using a tanning bed is WORSE for you than just laying in the sun without sunblock.

Found it - http://health.msn.com/centers/skincare/articl epage.aspx?cp-documentid=100104069

As someone who has had to have surgery to remove skin cancer (the 'good' non-life threatening kind fortunately), I find it really, really difficult to understand why people pay money to increase the likelihood of getting cancer.  Especially given that with the hole in the ozone, the likelihood is already greatly increased.

No doubt, runnerinvic! I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY! Not to mention aging your skin. All the 20-somethings have so many lines on their faces and leathery skin nowdays. It's shocking. 

For all you anti-tanning bed people, she said she has psoriasis.  That's the ONLY treatment that works!  I know, I have it, too. 

No I don't use a tanning bed and I don't smoke either.  I am trying to not get cancer.  But if you are one of those people who is more into your looks than your actual health, rock on!  And I too have heard the Head and Shoulders thing works.

I meant to also tell you, dgbsn, I had that happen to me once, too.  I had some huge patches of white.  Mine was vitiligo.  I'm white, and from what I understand, it's unusual for a white person to get it, but my dermatologist gave me some medication that cleared it up pretty quickly. 

Also, I want to ask - have you found ANYTHING that helps your psoriasis besides sun?

I get the white patches where the psoriasis was because your skin under the scales isn't exposed to the U.V light and so looks white compared to the areas surrounding it which have been exposed. Looks better than psoriasis in any case.

There is also a soap called a ZNP Bar that can be purchased OTC from a pharmacy.  That is what my daughter uses and it really helps.

I do not lay in a tanning bed because there is more harm in it then good.  You age your skin and your skin starts looking like leather and I have worked for a doctor the majority of my working career and people just dont realize what they are doing to their bodies.

My point, diana2356, was that there are a variety of treatments for psoriasis (never life-threatening), and that to choose one that could potentially lead to cancer (possibly life-threatening) seemed to me to be an unwise choice.  To pay for that possibility just seems weird.  In addition, the originator of the thread indicated that she is continuing to tan, even though she's now got the psoriasis under control. 

Perhaps the fact that I had to have a piece cut out of my face has warped my judgement on this?

Hi, thank you all for your posts. I am taking other medication for my psorisis. However, my doctor told me that UV rays was good for my skin so I am tanning once a week for 7 min. I am only continuing the tanning because I am not in the sunlight much due to work. 

The person isn't tanning for beauty or vanity they are tanning becasue UVA therepy is so ridiculously expensive and time consuming that they can't afford it, moneywise or timewise. So perhaps everyone could spare the lecture to this person who I'm sure is already aware of the risks and wisen up to the fact that doctors recomend tanning as a reasonable alternative to UVA treatment as a means to fight plaque psorisis as well as other types.

Besides, most of the medcations avaialble for psorisis are dangerous in some degree anyway. For example, Methotrexate is taken once a week and can cause severe, unreversable Liver Damage and thus the person perscribed must have regular blood tests. Also, Soritane's effects could be so harmful for a newborn that a patient must be willing to be on 2 forms of birth control for the next 5 years.

So stop the lecturning about cancer and tanning becasue people with psorisis have more things to worry about than going tanning once in a while, a recomended treatment that is also AVAIALBLE AT THE DERMATOLOGIST for lots and lots of money.

The end.

I tan to relieve mild Seasonal Affective Disorder. I live in a state where the sun barely shines all winter... three or four minutes every few days in a tanning bed lifts my spirits greatly. I still cover sensitive body parts and wear sunscreen. Besides, both my grandfather and my father had the "okay" kind of skin cancer, so I'm probably going to get it regardless.

I know the media makes arguments designed to evoke an emotional response out of the public. While all of the warnings about tanning aren't unwarranted, they are also spun a certain way. One can tan with wisdom.

The intensity of uvb light in tanning bed is 3 to 8 time more than that of sunlight in extreme sun hours.

so exposure of your body to such strong uvb and uva rays  is not better for your skin.   as normally indicated  about uva uvb light that  both are  hazardous for skin and strong trigger of skin cance.

uvb light directly damage DNA and uva light indirectly damage DNA  and hence cause skin cancer.  A research study shows that about 95% of skin cancer occur due to uvb light only.

Anyhow PUVA  and narrow band uvb treatment is going relatively better for psoriasis, eczema and vitiligo like skin disorder, though these are also not  risk free treatment procedures.