Indoor tanning exposes users to intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which
damages the skin and can lead to skin cancer, including melanoma—the
deadliest type of skin cancer. According to research by the Prevention
Research Centers, tanning salons tend to exist in areas with a greater
number of girls and women aged 15-29 years and are particularly concentrated
near colleges.
“Those who begin indoor tanning during adolescence or early adulthood
have a higher risk of getting melanoma,” says Dr. Amanda Bailey
of Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Claremont. “Individuals
who tan more frequently also have higher risks of melanoma.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), melanoma results in
nearly 9,000 deaths every year. Understanding the risk of indoor tanning
exposure is crucial to protecting ourselves and our loved ones. Everyone
can play a part to help reduce the use of tanning devices—especially
on or near college campuses—and the rising number of skin cancer
and melanoma cases.
To learn more ways to raise awareness about indoor tanning, its potential
health risks, and prevention methods, it is important to know the facts:
Tanning indoors is not safer than tanning in the sun. Indoor tanning and tanning outside are both dangerous. Although indoor
tanning devices operate on a timer, the exposure to UV rays can vary based
on the age and type of light bulbs. Indoor tanning is designed to give
you high levels of UV radiation in a short time. You can get a burn from
tanning indoors, and even a tan indicates damage to your skin.
A base tan is not a safe tan. A tan is the body’s response to injury from UV rays. A base tan does
little to protect you from future damage to your skin caused by UV exposure.
In fact, people who indoor tan are more likely to report getting sunburned.
Indoor tanning is not a safe way to get vitamin D. Although it is important to get enough vitamin D, the safest way to do
so is through what you eat. Tanning harms your skin, and the amount of
UV exposure you need to get enough vitamin D is hard to measure because
it is different for every person and also varies with the weather, latitude,
altitude and more.
Every time you tan you increase your risk of getting skin cancer, including
melanoma. Indoor tanning also—
- Causes premature skin aging, like wrinkles and age spots.
- Changes your skin texture.
- Increases the risk of potentially blinding eye diseases, if eye protection
is not used.
The best way to protect your skin from the sun is by using
these tips for skin cancer prevention.
The providers of Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Claremont manage
acute and chronic illnesses, treat acute injuries, perform minor office
surgeries and, when necessary, refer you to an appropriate specialist.
Just think of your family medicine physician as your first line of defense
in guarding your most valuable possession of all:
your health. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Amanda Bailey or Family Nurse Practitioner
Pa Lee at their location at 2890 South Lookout Street in Claremont, please
call 828.459.7324.