Dangers of Tanning (edison) Dawn Maurer

       According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, resulting in over one million cases a year.  There are three types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and malignant melanoma (MM).  Tanning is a direct cause of skin cancer, whether it is outside at the beach or in a tanning bed.  Tanning salons are especially dangerous since they can be used day or night, rain or shine, throughout the year.  Tanning in beds has shown a 75% increase in melanoma among women younger than thirty than those who did not go to salons.  Melanoma is a deadly, serious cancer.  One tiny mole, when left untreated, can turn into an ugly lesion with the capability to spread to the lymph nodes then to anywhere in the body.  Occasionally this may cause the loss of a limb or even an eye or ear!  Once you develop one melanoma you are at 20-50% risk of getting another one.  If it is caught early, skin cancer is easily treatable, however it will still cause significant scarring where the mole or moles must be excised.

                Tanning ruins your skin and the younger you start, the worse off you are.  Especially if you have a family history of skin cancer and/or are fair haired and light eyed.  People with naturally dark pigment to their skin are not as high a risk for skin cancer.  This is not to say that getting a tan “permanently darkens” your pigment, this is a lie told by the 2-billion dollar a year tanning industry.  A tan that darkens your pigment is actually damaging your skin.  This not only causes skin cancer but also premature wrinkles (yuck!).  Another argument made by tanning salons is that tanning helps a person get vitamin D in their body which is good for preventing certain cancers.  The fact is that most people get plenty of vitamin D just through everyday life.  Dairy products, fish, and the sun you see walking to and from your car during the day provide you with plenty of vitamin D.

                There are some precautions you can take.  You should give yourself a mole check every few months, note where existing ones are and what they look like.  Follow the guidelines on http://www.aad.org/public/exams/self.html.  If you notice any change in color, size, or shape, contact a dermatologist immediately.  Know the ABCDE’s of melanoma — Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolution.  You can find examples of these at http://www.aad.org/public/exams/abcde.html.  Also, it is recommended you get a full body exam by a dermatologist once a year after the age of 40, especially if you have a family history of skin cancer.  Another way to prevent skin cancer is to avoid the sun during the hours or 12 and 3.  Wear hats and protective clothing.  Wear sunscreen every day, even if you are just going go to the store. Put on sun block, SPF 30+, 15 minutes before going outdoors.  Remember to reapply sunscreen, especially when swimming or sweating. 

                Also, if you feel you must be tan for cosmetic purposes, there are lots of self-tanning lotions and products to give you a tan without the harmful UV rays of tanning beds.  They range in price and quality.  Tanning salons need to be strictly rethought and possibly outlawed.  (However, cigarettes are known to cause cancer and we do not outlaw tobacco). I do believe there should be limits to how often someone can go tanning in a bed and there should be signs up in salons stating the risks of the activity, much like warnings on a cigarette pack or bottles of alcohol. 

                Skin cancer is not to be taken lightly and people need to be made aware of this disease.  A lot of older women (45-70) say that they would lay in the sun all day with oil when they were young and now they are paying for it.  However, 30 years ago, we did not know what we know now about the sun and its harmful rays.  Now that we know, we must teach ourselves and our children.  It is very important to keep your children covered and loaded with sunscreen, even if they are just going outside to play for a few minutes.  They must be taught good habits.  Tanning in teens is on the rise with the availability of tanning salons.  This type of cancer only seems to be growing with the times.

This entry was posted on 19. November 2009 at 03:16 and is filed under Social Problems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.