Indoor Tanning vs. Outdoor Tanning

You have two choices when it comes to getting a tan. You can either tan indoors or outdoors. While both can make you look good, they can also be dangerous to your health. Indoor tanning consists of a tanning bed with ultra violet light bulbs. Outdoor tanning consists of natural sunlight.
There is a difference in the UV rays you get from both. Outdoor tanning in the sunlight you are exposed to a mixture of UVA and UVB rays. Indoor tanning you are typically only getting UVA radiation. The differences between the two are that UVB usually is what causes the skin to burn while the UVA is what affects the pigment to tan.
With outdoor tanning you cannot control how much radiation you get. Certain aspects can change it though. Midday, usually between 12-4 pm the sun is at the strongest intensity. On a cloudy day the intensity of the sun will decrease but the radiation is stronger. When tanning indoor, in a tanning bed, you can control the intensity and the amount of time of the UVA radiation you get.
I personally love tanning. Whether it is indoors or out in the sun. When tanning outdoor, it usually consists of being with family and friends at the beach, pool, or the lake. Lying around, playing in the water, or being on a float. Being in the water also intensifies the amount of radiation you get. Tanning indoors can be relaxing and peaceful. You have that personal alone time. You can either have it quiet or listen to some music. It also seems to help me when I feel tense or stressed because it feels like a giant heating pad.
When tanning outdoors, you obviously have a swimsuit on so therefore you end up with tan lines. Some people prefer tanning indoors to have a flawless tan by tanning nude. A lot of people when tanning outdoors don’t wear protective eyewear, but in most indoor tanning facilities it is mandatory to wear goggles. Tannings indoors or out you usually wear some sort of lotion. Indoor tanning lotions usually have some sort of bronzer or intensifier in them while most people when outdoors usually use something with an SPF in the lotion. Usually in an SPF 15 or higher.
There are studies and researches that show UV exposure to an increased risk of skin cancer. There are other alternatives to UV tanning. You can either use a sunless tanning lotion that has a dye in it to turn your skin to a tan look. They also have spray tanning that you stand in a booth and they spray a mist of dye that turns your skin color. While these are safer methods they have downsides. They can turn out a little different than a natural looking tan color, like an orange. They can also not be applied evenly. So it is really a matter of knowing the risks for you to decide how you would like to achieve that ultimate tan.
References:
Livestrong.com * Tanning Facts: outdoors vs. indoors * Everyday health: indoor vs. outdoor tanning
Article reviewed by Craig Gaines..May 5, 2011