WARNING! Tanning in the sun, and especailly in a tanning "bed", is not always skin safe.
As a medically trained Master Esthetician I've seen the raging damage from tanning bes. I call tanning beds, "cancer beds".
I am providing this page as education to promote the health of beautiful skin! ~Ruth Ann Holloway, Clinical Master Esthetician.
FACTS and FALSE INFORMATION:
Few tanning salons tell the truth about the health risks of indoor tanning, according to an investigative report conducted by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee. (ref1)
Results of the Investigation:
Committee investigators posed as fair-skinned 16-year-old girls, and contacted 300 indoor tanning salons throughout the country. Of the salons contacted, 90 percent told the "girls" that :
- Indoor tanning did not pose health risks
- half the salons denied that the fake sun increased risk of cancer
- Many described such statements as "rumor" and "hype,"
- 75% of salons said indoor tanning was actually beneficial to the health of a teen girl.
- Salons told the "teens" that the intense UV rays treat depression, induce vitamin D production, prevent and treat arthritis and help with weight loss, cellulite, depression and self-esteem
Employees also often referred to industry-sponsored websites that downplay or disregard the copious research that has found indoor tanning causes melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent when people begin using tanning beds before the age of 30. And according to the report, a recent study found that 76 percent of melanoma cases in people between the ages 18 and 29 years old was connected to indoor tanning bed use.
"Their statements are in many cases directly contrary to the compelling, irrefutable evidence that the use of indoor tanning devices increase your risk of skin cancer," said Dr. William James, immediate past president of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Medical research has found that indoor tanning is a cause of skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease.
Melanoma rates have significantly increased in the last 10 years, says Dr. Darrell Rigel, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center.
Parental consent laws exist now in 31 states. California is the only state has banned indoor tanning for minors.
"I think people should educate themselves and be responsible for the risks they take," said Feldman, who noted that people who tan will destroy their skin. "However, this report suggests that tanning bed operators are, in some cases, misleading and mis-educating people. That should not be allowed."
Notice: Chart showing stages of skin cancer is used for educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for any concerns you may have about discolorations or raised areas on your skin.
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