# Can reptile Lightning cause cancer?



## ShootingStarzX (Dec 14, 2012)

Hey there i was wondering if reptile lighting equipment can cause cancer? I know its a random question but i'm concerned.


----------



## kato (May 12, 2007)

ShootingStarzX said:


> Hey there i was wondering if reptile lighting equipment can cause cancer? I know its a random question but i'm concerned.


UV can well cause Cancer to humans but I am not sure the full ins and outs. As it happens UV Treatment is used in the prevention and cure of some skin conditions. So it can work both ways, just depends on the individual.

If there is a concern then a Doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.


----------



## ShootingStarzX (Dec 14, 2012)

Yeah its just i have a viv in my room and i use a fluorescent bulb i was just worried that the UVB rays could affect me long term. I decided to move my viv downstairs tomorrow just to be safe.


----------



## AjaMichelle (Dec 27, 2012)

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and burns resulting from heating lamps can cause cancer, but just like everything else, it's mostly dependent upon the individual captive. Tolerance to UV exposure varies among individuals and species. I try to alleviate the dangers of reptile UV lighting by arranging the lights such that individuals can bask for heat without exposure to UV radiation. I try to prevent spot burns by arranging the heating bulbs such that the hot spots cover individuals evenly from snout to vent, and by creating a thermoregulation gradient in the enclosure. Creating a temperature gradient instead of just hot and cold areas eliminates risks of spot-burns.

Edit: To the OP, UVB bulbs pose a risk mostly to your eyesight.  Just don't look directly into it.


----------



## David V (Jan 3, 2009)

Uv gets filtered when passing through glass there is no danger to you


----------



## ShootingStarzX (Dec 14, 2012)

David V said:


> Uv gets filtered when passing through glass there is no danger to you


I assumed the radiation was able to pass through the glass? does it not depend on the strength of the radiation?


----------



## AjaMichelle (Dec 27, 2012)

I believe that UV radiation is only filtered completely by polarized glass/plastic. Otherwise some of the UV radiation still transfers but as above, not the UV-B radiation.


----------



## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Unfortunately this guide hasn't been updated recently, but you can still see the rate at which the UV output of a tube diminishes with distance.

In fact it follows the inverse square law and the amount of UV you'll get from a UV tube from a metre or so away will be almost negligible. You'd get more exposure walking outside on a normal day.

Unless you are lying in the viv looking at the tube for prolonged periods of time from 6-8 inches away, you are in no danger at all.

UV Guide UK - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles - 2005 Reptile Lighting Survey


----------



## nicnet (Apr 3, 2011)

Agree with others on this. There is no way they would be allowed by law to sell UV tubes if they were any danger at all of putting out enough UV to cause cancer or any other health issues.

Aside from the fact that glass will filter out the UV in vivs and pose no concern at all, higher levels of UV are actually used in countries with 3+ months of no sunshine to prevent SAD syndrome which is a winter depression due to lack of UV

So theoretically, the minute amount of UV you would absorb from your viv when you had your hands in there could in fact be good for you and help to cheer you up. Pure theory of course.


----------



## JonnyFrilledDragonLawson (Oct 26, 2012)

they say everything can cause cancer these days, i wouldnt worry in the slightest like people have already said why


----------



## NightGecko (Jul 17, 2009)

I'm just waiting for Arcadia John to post on this now as he probably has the facts and science behind it all.

I doubt they are at all a danger unless you bask under them all day long yourself, but then of course we don't but our animals do, so is it an issue for them?


----------



## Tombo46 (Aug 5, 2010)

no danger whatsoever. Like Kato mentioned. I have UVB treatment at the hospital for psoriasis. They safely allow you 300 sessions in a life time before there is an increased risk of cancer. One session involves being blasted with 36 UV tubes at once. You're inches away from them too!


----------



## blabble182 (Dec 26, 2010)

over the years smoked meats, scented candles, deodrant, scented soap, some weird strain on european pollen and various other trivial things can now "cause you cancer" so i expect if you asked a cancer research scientist they would have a breakdown and come up with 342 different reasons why you can get every strain of cancer from reptile lighting, then tell you your reptiles gives you cancer, then finish by telling you that the only cure is chuck norris's tears..a normal person however who is not getting paid a stupid amount to invent new reason to panic people would say no..and like above ive had treatment for eczema using the whole sunbed style procedure. think i was given 400 doses though? possibly a lower grade treatment


----------



## blabble182 (Dec 26, 2010)

also a friend of mine uses two of the uv tubes as dressing table lights (arcadia ones :2thumb cause her fella had them lying around when he built the table. and shes still intact


----------



## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Hi,

There is no evidence whatsoever of any risk at all.

Firstly all uv is 100% blocked by all toughened glass and plastics so there is no leakage into the environment.

It is also uvc that is most dangerous! The only lamps shown to ever leak uvc were those awful cheap Asian lamps that can be found on ebay and alike.

The other point is that most uv systems just are not very powerful! A good T8 system is like recreating the uk summer at 7pm ish. So a few seconds of that is not likely to do anything at all.

We would never recommend putting a lamp on your skin for a few hours but that's just using your brain.

So please don't worry, you use the D3 cycle just like reptiles and as long as the index is not higher than found on earth and you dont live in the viv no risk is found. 

As for commercial SAD lamps! Its all rubbish! This is the American misunderstanding.

A full spectrum lamp is a lamp with a daylight colourK no UVB, now the premise for SAD is very real and is tied into the D3 cycle. But if the lamp does not emit UVB you can't enter the cycle and the results are all in the mind! Placebo effect! What you need for curing SAD is full spectrum pus UVB like the Arcadia bird lamp or natural sunlight,

Hope this helps! But plea don't concern yourself. Limit exposure and if sensitive use a sunblock

John


----------



## TheDoctorsTardis (Oct 1, 2012)

Tombo46 said:


> no danger whatsoever. Like Kato mentioned. I have UVB treatment at the hospital for psoriasis. They safely allow you 300 sessions in a life time before there is an increased risk of cancer. One session involves being blasted with 36 UV tubes at once. You're inches away from them too!


 
Did you have to sign a disclaimer about skin cancer, because mine said it was high risk? I used to have those too for the same reason. Whats strange is that both my parents suffered from skin cancer and ones Irish and one is Greek- Both had used those old fashioned sunbeds in the ninties. I stopped going hosiptal as the lights didn't show any sign of helping my skin, and went to cyprus for a four days and it disapeared in the first day. Amazing. Didn't come back for seven weeks.


----------



## Zakk (Oct 15, 2008)

don't eat toast that's under or over done either, aparently that does too.


----------



## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

The level of output you get from the reptile UV bulbs is really very low unless you are using the old "black lights". I think these only came in T20 size but may be wrong.
The T8 and T5 bulbs used today produce a certain amount of light in lumens and then a percentage of that light is the UV content.
Unless you have the tube stuck to your skin or exceptionally close for hours a day, with nothing between you and the bulbs, I see no way that you would get enough UV to cause any damage.
I sit about 3 foot from my bank of vivs while on the PC. Granted there is a sheet of glass (the viv doors) between me and my bulbs but I don’t even have a tan on that side :Na_Na_Na_Na:


----------



## nicnet (Apr 3, 2011)

Arcadiajohn said:


> Hi,
> 
> 
> As for commercial SAD lamps! Its all rubbish! This is the American misunderstanding.
> ...



Thats why I said in countries that have those 3 month winter nights ;p

No sunlight for those living in those countries would probably be the same as no UV for our lizzies, and we all know how much they perk up with a nice new UV tube when the old one is done with.

Problem is that commercial industries take good sound research and make wild claims about it just to sell yet another product that is either dangerous or useless to sell to flouncy idiotic bimbo's.


----------



## Spuddy (Aug 24, 2009)

blabble182 said:


> *a normal person however who is not getting paid a stupid amount to invent new reason to panic people would say no*



Someone's very misinformed! 

If only we was paid stupid amounts, if only...

And I hardly think its inventing reasons, it's purely based on research. That we don't get paid a lot of money to do...(have I already mentioned that).

Also, we are not normal? Because we are intelligent and work to keep the human species as healthy as possible?


----------



## JonnyFrilledDragonLawson (Oct 26, 2012)

ive never heard of a poor scientist


----------



## Spuddy (Aug 24, 2009)

JonnyFrilledDragonLawson said:


> ive never heard of a poor scientist



I doubt you've heard of many rich ones either. 

Apart from ones who get fancy TV shows.


----------



## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

JonnyFrilledDragonLawson said:


> ive never heard of a poor scientist


When I worked in the labs most of my friends who worked in factories made more money than me :blush:


----------



## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

JonnyFrilledDragonLawson said:


> ive never heard of a poor scientist



I've never heard of a poor footballer. Doesn't mean they don't exist.


Out of interest, could you list all the rich scientists you know.


----------



## Spuddy (Aug 24, 2009)

SnakeBreeder said:


> When I worked in the labs most of my friends who worked in factories made more money than me :blush:


Yup, sounds about right. Wages are and have improved for lab work but not to call anyone "rich" by any stretch of the imagination. 

Then you get those goons who run around on a field kicking a football about for mega money ... :whistling2:


----------



## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

Spuddy said:


> Yup, sounds about right. Wages are and have improved for lab work but not to call anyone "rich" by any stretch of the imagination.
> 
> Then you get those goons who run around on a field kicking a football about for mega money ... :whistling2:



We just need to find a way of making lab work a massively popular spectator sport.....


----------



## White-Dragon (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi, i'm a poor scientist! 
Just happens i specialise in cancer research and as such am terrified of UV. I'm stupid about it, factor 50 suncream whenever it's slightly sunny etc. However i completely agree with what everyone's said on here, the UV really shouldn't get through the glass and hurt you.
However, if you want to be crazy... whenever i clean/rearrange iggy's viv, i wear dark sunglasses and long sleeves. But then, that's probably the craziest you can get if you want to be uber safe. I don't use any protection when just stroking or taking him out. There really isn't any real risk.


----------



## KarlHowells (Jan 19, 2011)

nicnet said:


> Agree with others on this. There is no way they would be allowed by law to sell UV tubes if they were any danger at all of putting out enough UV to cause cancer or any other health issues.


Smoking? that is a health issue and can be a cause of Cancer but that's allowed :lol2:


----------



## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

White-Dragon said:


> i wear dark sunglasses and long sleeves. But then, that's probably the craziest you can get if you want to be uber safe.


maybe not so crazy as you think 
I was diagnosed with ARMD awhile back and one of the first things I was recommended to do was avoid (where possible) uv lighting and if out during sunny days to wear prescribed sunglasses which block uv light (UVA, UVB and UVC) :crazy:


----------

