2006
Forum
Tanning: good for conf idence...bad for health
m N icole H utchinson __________
Staff Reporter
I tan, and I'm not alone. I
am one of the many teenage
girls (as well as teenage
guys, grandmothers,
etc.) who has jumped the
bandwagon. Tanning is a
growing trend in the United
States, coming to the aid of
those ghostly pale girls and
boys who desire a golden
glow.
Many people use natural
sunlight in the months of
May-August, and tanning
beds during the rest of
the year. But members
of the Food and Dmg
Administration, American
Medical Association and
Web MD all agree that both
forms of tanning
are dangerous;
I disagree. The
American
Academy of
disease according to the
American Cancer Society
website and is one of the
few cancers found in young
people. It is the second most
common cancer among
women ages 20 to 35, and
rising in cancers for male
adults. People with fair skin,
freckling, or red or blond
hair have a higher risk of
melanoma.
Excessive tanning can
also cause premature
aging of the skin giving it a
wrinkled, leathery look. The
rays also affect your eyes
as well, even through your
eyelid. UVA rays are known
for damaging the retinas,
and over a long time period,
can
bum the corneas.
When you're
tanning
in natural
light, you
are
aware
of your
eyelids
Dermatology
deemed tanning
in natural sunlight
medically safer when used
with precautions than
tanning in a bed.
T h e m ost dangerous part
about tanning in a bed,
as well as in the sun, are
the UV Rays. Ultraviolet
A (UVA) and Ultraviolet
B (UVA) are the rays that
penetrate the skin and cause
the tan. UVA rays are known
for deep penetration of the
skin which is what makes
you tan. DVB are known
for causing sunburns, since
they only tan the top layer
of skin.
New research now proves
that there is a link between
UVA rays and malignant
melanoma, the most serious
form of skin cancer. Nearly
8,000 people in the U.S.
die each year from this
burning,
but when
you're in
the tanning beds,
exposed skin
stays cool to the touch, so
it's harder to distinguish
when you are doing
damage. The FDA requires
all tanning salons to tell
their customers to wear
goggles.
There is a move by the
AMA and AAD to pass
legislation banning anyone
under the age of 18 from
using tanning beds even
when they have a parent
signature.
Most people believe that
if they tan in moderation
(two or three days a week)
and use protective eye care
(goggles, disposable eye
stickers), they won’t get
cancer or that they won't
develop cataracts. Sure, they
may luck out, but the more
they tan without protections
Callan Gray
(a light layer of sunscreen
and goggles), the more
chance there is of seeing
long-term effects.
When I started to write
this article, I was convinced
that bed tanning was safer
than natural tanning. But
as I conducted research,
I realized how horribly
wrong I was. Melanoma is
the fastest growing cancer
out there—especially among
youth.
Sure, I’ve read the
warnings in the tanning
room that talks about eye
damage. Of course I’ve
heard about excessive
tanning, both natural and
in a bed. Everyone knows
about the potential danger
of cancer. I thought that can't
he right... that must just be
hype and overzealous experts
who are trying to discourage
youth. That is far from true.
It’s all true. You can’t just
assume that tanning in a
salon prevents heat rash and
sunburns. The only up-side
of tanning in beds is no tan
lines (if you choose to go
commando in the bed) and
faster results...sometimes.
I tan almost every day,
for 15 minutes in a bed
twice the strength of a basic
20 minute bed. I use a hot
lotion, and no goggles.
And on my right shoulder
blade, I have this mole that
may need to be checked out
soon.
Luckily, for those of
us who are ghostly pale
and realize that tanning is
not safe, there are other,
hopefully safer options out
there: spray on tan, lotion
that makes you tan, and
the most popular: Mystic
Tanning. Most modem
tanning salons have Mystic
Tanning as an option.
Popular among girls during
Winter Ball and Prom
time, just be prepared for a
few...side effects. Spotting,
blotching, and maybe being
a slight shade of orange.
Oh, the sacrifices we
make for beauty.
STUDENTS
msm
It s not for guys
don’t think
about the
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