Dermatologists (skin doctors) report an alarming increase in skin cancer in teens and they blame tanning salons for the problem. Nineteen states have banned people under 18 from the salons. Each year, physicians diagnose more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer. They are mostly the less dangerous types called basal and squamous skin cancers, but the incidence of deadly melanoma is rising. Dermatology professional organizations advise adults and teens that tanning parlors are bad for health. Indoor Tanning Association representatives counter that dermatologists haven’t reviewed the literature systematically and that indoor tanning is safe and healthy. Tanning increases the production of vitamin D, which is critical for bone health. Also, tanning helps fight depression and promotes healthy sexuality by increasing melanocortin. Tanning does have benefits, bet excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation promotes skin cancer.
Teen tanning salon laws limit access, not exposure
: The good news on teens and indoor tanning: Most U.S. salons seem to be obeying state laws that require parents to consent to their teens' bronzing under the lights, according to a new study.
: The bad news: Once they've obtained consent, most of those salons will let teens tan every day - even though the Food and Drug Administration recommends no more than three sessions during the first week.
In response to a sharp rise in melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer, among US women 15 to 39 years old, more than two dozen states have enacted laws requiring young people to get parental permission to use tanning salons.
It's not that exposure to indoor tanning is more dangerous to young people's skin, noted study co-author Dr. Joni A. Mayer of San Diego State University, but that starting earlier leads to a larger exposure to cancer-linked ultraviolet radiation.
Mayer argues that the US should follow World Health Organization recommendations to ban everyone younger than 18 from using indoor tanning salons. France and three states in Australia have already done so, she and her colleagues note in their report.
In the meantime, Mayer offers the following advice to parents: "Indoor tanning causes melanoma. The laws are lagging right now to protect your teen, but you can protect your teen by not giving permission for them to tan and you can encourage them to use the lotions or the spray-on tans which can still make them look tan if they want to look tan without the dangers.".
They have a solution that would allow the industry to keep making money, though: Encouraging fake tans as a healthier alternative.
Tanning Beds and the Hidden Dangers. Do Tanning Salons cause Cancer?
Can I get skin cancer from tanning beds? Are tanning salons dangerous? do tanning beds cause cancer? Dermatologists report an alarming increase in skin cancer in teens and they blame tanning salons for the problem. Nineteen states have banned people under the age of 18 from the salons. Each year, physicians diagnose more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer. They are mostly the less dangerous types called basal and squamous skin cancers, but the incidence of deadly melanoma is rising.
Dermatology professional organizations advise adults and teens that tanning parlors are bad for your health.
Tanning Salons Blamed for Increase in Skin Cancer in Teens
Indoor Tanning Association representatives counter that dermatologists haven't reviewed the literature systematically and that indoor tanning is safe and healthy. Tanning increases the production of vitamin D, which is critical for bone health. Also, tanning helps fight depression and promotes healthy sexuality by increasing melanocortin. Tanning does have some health benefits, but excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation promotes skin cancer.
What are the harmful effects of tanning beds?
Nearly every single article that was researched concluded that indoor tanning is directly linked to skin cancer, specifically malignant melanoma, and other numerous health problems. Although tanning industries claim that UVA radiation is safe, medical research disproves this theory. Researchers say that because UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, they destroy skin fibers and damage elasticity. Long-term effects of UVA rays include premature aging and wrinkles. Scientists agree that UVA rays are less likely to cause burns, but that they are still linked to malignant melanoma, damage to the immune system, weakening of the skin's inner tissue, and other types of skin cancers. In fact, studies show that large doses of UVA lead to an increased risk of developing skin cancer. From his research, Dr. David Sidransky concluded that UVA radiation causes the same damage as UVB radiation to skin cells which leading to cancer. In cases where exposure to light was increased, it was more likely that the damage would exceed the constructive, cellular-repair mechanisms, and a tumor would be more likely to develop.
A study conducted in Sweden helps to prove that tanning beds are a major factor in the development of malignant melanoma. Different people, all under the age of 30, were included in the study. The data concluded that the people who used tanning beds more than 10 times a year were seven times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who did not use tanning beds as often. Researchers estimated that by the year 2000, the risk of developing skin cancer for those who did not use tanning beds would be one out of every 97 persons, and that the chances for those who did use tanning beds would be one out of every 13 persons. The study also concluded that melanoma risks are increased by 300% for those using tanning beds occasionally, and that the risks increase by 800% for those who use tanning beds more than 10 times a year.
Hidden Dangers of Tanning Salons
If you're looking to get a little color for your skin before the summer, tanning salons are not what the doctor ordered. Tanning beds give off ultraviolet (UV) light, which can cause your skin to tan, but can also give you wrinkles and skin cancer. “Indoor tanning mimics natural sunlight, says James Spencer, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. But the tanning parlor is more efficient and you get the exposure faster. The sun gives off different types of radiation. The main types are UVA and UVB. Both cause damage to the skin. "Natural sunlight is 95 percent UVA rays and 5 percent UVB," explains Spencer. Tanning salons give off the same UV light, so when people go to get a cosmetic tan, they may not realize the same rays can cause skin cancer, despite the dangers, young people are flocking to indoor tanning beds, especially young women. Studies continue to show that young people ignore their risk of skin cancer and use tanning beds as a way to accelerate their tan. One study from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis revealed that almost half the students polled had used a tanning lamp during the previous year. And women were much more likely to do so than men.
The statistics are startling especially because skin cancer is the most common cancer among men and women in the United States, and melanoma, the deadliest type, is the most common cancer in women between the ages of 25 and 29. Young people need to be aware of their risks. According to the American Cancer Society, roughly 80 percent of a person's lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. Regular use of tanning beds increases the chance of getting skin cancer.
The different types of radiation in sunlight?
- visible light, which gives us the colours we see,
- infrared radiation which gives us the warmth we feel, and
- ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Except in extreme situations, neither visible light nor infrared radiation from sunlight causes health problems. However, ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause harmful effects to the skin.
There are three basic types of ultraviolet radiation:
- UVA (long-wave UV),
- UVB (sunburn UV), and
- UVC (short-wave UV).
What types of skin cancer are linked to sunlight exposure?
- basal cell cancer,
- squamous cell cancer, and
- malignant melanoma.
Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight affects everybody's skin to some extent, but the skin's response varies widely from person to person. Peoples' sensitivity to the sun varies according to the amount of pigment in the skin and the skin\'s ability to tan. Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight affects everybody's skin to some extent, but the skin's response varies widely from person to person. Peoples' sensitivity to the sun varies according to the amount of pigment in the skin and the skin's ability to tan.
How to treat a Burn from a Tanning Bed
Treating a sunburn quickly and with healing ingredients is important to help reduce the damage and to protect against further damage.
- :: Aloe Vera Gel
For sunburn there is nothing better than aloe vera gel; it is antibacterial and deeply healing for burns in part because of aloectin B, which stimulates the immune system. Aloe vera gel is used in hospitals for burn victims. Aloe Vera comes from the aloe vera plant, and the gel may be squeezed from its leaves, or you can buy pure aloe vera gel as a product in most health food stores.
- :: Vitamin E Cream
One of the antioxidants, vitamin E creams, ointments and oils, can help heal sunburn damage and shorten its effects.
- :: Increase Your Vitamin C
Another antioxidant, increasing your vitamin C intake while sunburned will help you heal.
- :: Baking Soda Bath
Have a cool bath to which 1/2 a cup of baking soda has been added.
- :: Calendula Creams
Calendula is one of the most healing plants. The flowers are emollient, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antiviral. They are immune system stimulants and rich in carotenoids. Look in your health food store for calendula creams and ointments.
Avoid Petroleum jelly, as it will hold in the heat.
sources: New York Times, vanderbilt.edu, Jennifer Wider, M.D. Society for Women's Health Research, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, care2.com, NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - By Anne Harding & The New York Time,Aug.14,2006