Clinicians have warned people to be weary of using tanning beds for the purpose of treating their skin eruptions because it could increase the chances of developing Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis if the underlying skin problem was caused by an adverse drug reaction.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis is a more severe form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a condition that causes the body to burn from the inside out. While some people have been known to use tanning beds to self-treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis with some success, study author Jeffrey Travers, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, says, “There are many reasons to be cautious of tanning bed radiation but some people use tanning beds to ‘self-treat’ skin eruptions. If the skin eruption is eczema or even psoriasis, a tanning bed might help. However, if the eruption is caused by a drug reaction then it can be dangerous.”

Travers and his colleagues mention one 22-year-old woman’s case. She tried to treat a rash that she developed after taking ibuprofen (known to cause Stevens-Johnson syndrome) by exposing her rash to tanning bed radiation. This move caused her to develop a TENS-like reaction. While she lived through the ordeal, she had to spend 3 weeks in the hospital.

Research has shown that “mixing ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation and cytokine interleukin (IL)-1? or the phorbol ester PMA can cause a large production of tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) in human skin cells,” which is also a symptom of TENS. Travers and his team used a keratinocyte cell line to test whether or not if exposure to UV-A radiation could stimulate the same reaction. While they found that it didn’t, they did learn when “the cells were exposed to these inflammatory factors, the production of TNF increased four- to six-fold.”

The complete results of this study were published in the Archives of Dermatology.

If you or a loved one developed TENS after using a tanning bed, contact attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting TENS lawsuits and may able to help you recover money for your pain and suffering.