Who doesn't want to have that summer glow in the middle of winter! But is that golden glow really worth your health?

Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. tan in tanning salons every year; on average, that's more than 1 million people a day who are baking themselves under tanning lamps. Ranging in age form 16 to 49 years. The indoor tanning industry's revenues have increased fivefold since 1992, to about $5 billion.

Using tanning beds comes with serious consequences including eye damage, cancer, and the weakening of your immune system.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, which are cells that produce the skin pigment melanin. There is an increased risk of contracting melanoma for people who are in their teens or twenties who use tanning beds. By using a tanning bed more than 10 times a year you are seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds.

There is also an increased risk for people to develop squamous cell cancer (SCC) when they use tanning beds and first began using them as teenagers. Squamous cell cancer is a form of cancer of the carcinoma type that may occur in many different organs, including the skin, lips, mouth,and esophagus. Squamous cell cancer begins in squamous cells, which are flat cells that are found in tissue that forms skin.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, overexposure to UV rays can suppress the immune system by suppressing its proper functioning. Overexposure can also suppress the skin's natural defenses and diminish the effects of immunizations. For people who are being treated for Herpes simplex virus, sunlight and the use of tanning beds can weaken the immune system of the body so that it can no longer keep the virus under control.

The use of tanning beds, as with tanning with natural sunlight, can make the skin leathery and wrinkled. It can also cause dark spots on the skin.

It can also cause a type of eye damage called photokeratitis, which is caused by intense UV exposure of the eye. The symptoms of photokeratitis include pain, swollen eyelids, tearing of the cornea, a feeling of sand in the eye and hazy or blurred vision.

Without doubt, tanning beds have become an extremely popular option for maintaining a tan throughout the year. Just remember that in exchange for the golden glow, the body is negatively affected. In fact, because tanning beds emit from 50% to 100% the amount of UV rays than from natural sunlight, you would be safer lying out on the beach for a few hours. If you want to tan, be wise about the amount of time spent and the frequency of using indoor tanning beds.