Tanning Beds and UC

I don't use a tanning bed because my skin burns very easily. I don't know why UC would affect it, but do check on your meds. There are a lot of medications that recommend avoiding exposure to direct sunlight because they make your skin more sensitive to it.

Have to agree. Just go the natural route. Take a stroll in the park and get some sun. Or lay/read on a blanket for a SHORT while. Plus, it is free!
Drinking plenty of water and sunlight in moderation can be good for the skin. The heat/sun is drying. So it might clear things up for you.

But imo, those Artificial/UV Lights are awful for one and very risky.

Christine1946 said...
My youngest daughter goes to a tanning parlor ALL the time and I constantly am concerned about this but you think she would listen? Heck NO.

That usually comes from an insecurity about one's skin color. I used to feel that way about my skin, that it was too light, because I got a few comments from people who said I looked pale, too white--that was until I met quite a few people who would tell me they wished their skin was light like mine. Now, I couldn't care less whether or not my skin color is light, dark, or somewhere in between. Beautiful skin is soft, smooth, and healthy looking. It doesn't matter what color it is.

Never heard anything about this.

A few months ago a study came out that showed tanning beds are extremely dangerous in terms of cancer risk (even more than we thought previously).

I'll have to take a pass on this one :/

Not sure about UC and tanning beds, however (I've thrown this in before) self-tanner has come a long way!

I went to my first dermatologist appt at 27 and the doctor immediately removed skin from my shoulder and tested for Melanoma. My test came out negative but my roommate's (also 27) weren't. She's fine now but had to have multiple procedures to remove a large area of skin from her back. And oh by the way, removal includes cauterizing the skin with an instrument similar to a soldering iron. Scary stuff!

Since then a number of our friends have gone to the dermatologist almost all have had to have something removed. I love the sun & being outside but I'm definitely more careful now.

In any case, I personally like having a little color and spray tans or self tanner really do work.

Thanks Red... You were the only one who answered my question. The rest was just tout ing the evils of tanning beds. LOL. I wasn't recommending tanning.... I was just throwing a question out there. We know vitamin D helps some... and there are quite a few examples of auto immune diseases being related. And one lessening when another kicks in. Was just being curious. Thanks again

I'd never use a tanning bed for the reasons cited by Subdued + inconvenience/fees involved, but do find that moderate exposure to sunshine helps my UC. I noticed it especially while I was taking Dipentum in the late 1990s. It seemed to work more efficiently to keep me in remission during the summer, especially. THAT I really appreciated because I'm generally intolerant of very hot humid weather. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)

I have just had 3 BCC's (basal cell carcinoma's) removed.

The Dermatologist and my GI are convinced that it was caused by a combination of sun exposure, IBD itself and the side effects of drugs used to treat IBD. In my case, it happens to be Azathioprine.

Make of that what you will.

Before you start praying to the God of Sol...

well i would have never gotten in one when i had UC for fear of having to get up and go to the bathroom! So you are brave there, lol.
Although i did lay out in the sun, and whether it actually helped UC or not, i dont know, but it made me feel alot better!
I dont know if it was the meds or the UC itself i never could get a tan, and i used to be the type of person that walked outside for two minutes and was tanned. During that time i burned and it took me along time to actually get one.
Since surgery, i get in the tanning bed some, and of course lay out, and i still burn easier than i used to, but i tan much easier.
One thing i did notice at times in the sun was that i would get like brown spots along where my jewelry was, the pharamicist thought maybe it was the combo of all the meds and the silver reacting in my skin.
It does help my hands and their itchiness though.

I have been going in a tanning bed for the past few months...preparing for a wedding I am in this weekend. I have not seen any difference in my UC one way or the other. I too also have Psoriasis and it sure does help with that. I would love to continue the tanning bed year round just to keep the Psoriasis away but since having my daughter I am a lot more worried about the bad effects that can happen from it. I will probably cancel my membership at the end of the month. If I see a difference in the UC I will post and let you know. Hope this helps!

Hello,

I got UC in 2004 at 18. I keep managing to put myself in remission (have 10/10 abdominal pain, tried steroids galore which dropped my immune system in college and I now have myalgic encephalomyelitis which is HELL)

Anyways,

Two things have thrown me back into remission at times, taking 2-3 iron (ferrous sulfate 325mg which causes severe constipation which is great for UC and the diarrhea)

Then the tanning bed. 10 mins a day of heat primarily on the belly, it worked for me! I went into remission multiple times.

It may be a pick your poison situation but this is survival. I don't have other options so I went looking and it worked!

I just had to respond. I don't like debates or acting like I know for certain but this completely me and what has worked and what hasn't.

Tanning gave me no high. It merely helped stop bleeding. I was/am desperate. I am very very ill with a different disease so it strictly worked for Ulcerative Colitis. No magical bursts of energy or happiness!

And as for cancer it is likely anyways I have a chronic disease that is bad and I am in God's hands.

LDN didn't work for me. Didn't help with pain didn't do much of anything.

Might work for some! However assuming that LDN treats the same stuff as a tanning bed anyhow I am out. Good luck world! Don't fear cancer top much I went to a GI specialist who said I would get it no matter what. Optimistic I know! :)