Tanning and Skin Cancer

Filed in archive Cancer, General on April 15, 2007

Tanning season is just around the corner, the time of those beautiful golden skins that have absorbed the rays on the beach. But there's no longer a need to wait for the summer sun. Tanning beds do the job just as well.

Too much sun, unfortunately, can cause melanoma or skin cancer. How about tanning beds? Are they safe? The PSL Group warns:

Data from photobiologists have shown that although UVA is less efficient than shorter UVB radiation at inducing damage in many experimental systems, it certainly is not safe," he said. " New animal and human studies suggest that this form of radiation may in fact be related to melanoma induction and growth.

Other studies show tanning beds are capable of inducing skin and eye burns, alteration of the immune system's function, photoaging and non-melanoma skin cancers.Yes, that summer tan looks good, whether you get it on the beach or on a tanning bed. But is it worth risking your health? If you must get a tan, be sure to smear on layers of sun screen, the strongest you can find.