Spring Break for college students often means heading to Panama City, Gulf Shores or maybe even Mexico to unwind with friends and have some fun in the sun. To get ready for spring break and the upcoming summer season, many young people turn to tanning at indoor salons to get that right-off-the-beach look.
Of course, getting that sun-kissed glow comes with many warnings and some frightening statistics as well. The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization’s International Agency of Research on Cancer panel has declared ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, as known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). The amount of radiation produced during indoor tanning is similar to the sun, and in some cases stronger.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer – basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas – are highly curable, but can be disfiguring and costly. Melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous and causes the most deaths. The majority of these three types of skin cancer are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Studies have found a 75 percent increase in the risk of melanoma in those who have been exposed to UV radiation from indoor tanning, and the risk increases with each use, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
On an average day in the United States, more than 1 million people tan in tanning salons, and nearly 70 percent of tanning salon patrons are Caucasian girls and women, primarily aged 16 to 29 years. Nearly 28 million people tan indoors in the United States annually and of these, 2.3 million are teens.
For those who still insist on being golden brown for vacation, there is some good news. According to www.safeskin.org, there are many excellent self-tanners on the market today. For those who have tried self-tanners in the past, many know there is nothing worse than applying a lotion, foam, gel or spray, only to wind up with an orangey streaky tan, dark elbows, stained clothes and smelling like a chemical plant. SafeSkin tested hundreds of self-tanners and compiled a list of their top five, with their winner being “Tan Physics True Color.”
In choosing sun protection at the beach, be aware of the Sun Protection Factor (SPF). The American Melanoma Foundation recommends using a sunscreen that protects against ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, those rays that penetrate deeper into the skin and are the culprits in premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. Also, a good rule of thumb about sun care is when using a sunscreen with an SPF 15, a person can be in the sun 15 times longer than someone without sunscreen before burning. Consumers need to be aware that SPF protection does not increase proportionally with an increased SPF number. While an SPF of 2 will absorb 50 percent of ultraviolet radiation, an SPF of 15 absorbs 93 percent and an SPF of 34 absorbs 97 percent.
So while on the beach, apply these principles to stay protected, along with wearing a hat and paying special attention to areas such as the nose, ears, face and chest to reduce dangerous burns.
