The Facts The Risks How They Affect You
Indoor Tanning Dangers
75%increased risk of developing life-threatening melanoma from just one indoor tanning session before age 35.
Tanning outside or indoors can have dangerous consequences. While often associated with good health, the glow of a tan is the very opposite of healthy its evidence of DNA injury to your skin. Tanning damages your skin cells and speeds up visible signs of aging. Worst of all, tanning can lead to skin cancer.
Its a fact: There is no such thing as a safe or healthy tan. Tanning increases your risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Your best defense is to avoid tanning altogether.
New Study Links Tanning Beds To Non
by University of California, San Francisco
Indoor tanning beds can cause non-melanoma skin cancer and the risk is greater the earlier one starts tanning, according to a new analysis led by UCSF.
Indoor tanning is already an established risk factor for malignant melanoma, the less common but deadliest form of skin cancer. Now, the new study confirms that indoor tanning significantly increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers, the most common human skin cancers.
In the most extensive examination of published findings on the subject, the researchers estimate that indoor tanning is responsible for more than 170,000 new cases annually of non-melanoma skin cancers in the United States and many more worldwide.
Young people who patronize tanning salons before age 25 have a significantly higher risk of developing basal cell carcinomas compared to those who never use the popular tanning booths, the researchers reported.
The study will be published online October 2, 2012 in BMJ, the British general medical journal.
“The numbers are striking hundreds of thousands of cancers each year are attributed to tanning beds,” said Eleni Linos, MD, DrPH, an assistant professor of dermatology at UCSF and senior author of the study. “This creates a huge opportunity for cancer prevention.”
The study was a meta-analysis and systematic review of medical articles published since 1985 involving some 80,000 people in six countries and data extending back to 1977.
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The Latest Most Noteworthy And Alarming Research On Sunscreens
Sunscreen chemicals, according to the propaganda, should prevent melanoma yet paradoxically, they do not. In addition, they should stop sunburns, yet, they do not. Another dilemma for sunscreen promoters is evidence that sunscreen toxicity is more than skin deep. Could sunscreen chemicals also promote initiation and growth of breast cancer? Endocrine-disrupting chemicals like oxybenzone and others are agonists for hormone sensitive cancers such as breast cancer. Consequently, researchers performed enlightening research to determine the relationship between breast cancer and oxybenzone. The investigation measured urine concentrations of oxybenzone in rodents on high-fat or low-fat diets exposed to that chemical.
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How Can I Reduce The Chances Of Developing Skin Cancer
The best way to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer is awareness and proper sun protection.
Ensure that you always put sunscreen on and dont sit or lay in the sun for long periods especially during peak hours. Its also best to avoid visiting tanning salons, which can damage your skin and may cause skin cancer in the long run.
People with moles should consider making a mole map. That way, they can keep an eye on their moles and watch for any unusual changes in shape, size, or color.
For more information about how to identify a melanoma, read our blog here.
It’s Easy To Get The Care You Need
See a Premier Physician Network provider near you.
You probably know that exposure to the suns ultraviolet rays increases your risk of skin cancer. But are you at less risk of skin cancer when you retreat indoors to the lights of a tanning bed?
Whether you tan outdoors or indoors, you expose your skin to two types of UV radiation: UVA and UVB. Most of the rays from the sun are of the UVA variety. And both types can damage your skin and raise your risk of skin cancer.
UVA rays, long-wave radiation, penetrate the deeper layers of your skin, where most skin cancers develop. The UVA rays damage cells in the basal, or deepest, skin layer. This damage also causes skin to age and wrinkle.
UVB rays, which are shorter in wavelength, cause skin reddening and sunburn. They penetrate your skins outermost layers. Still, UVB rays play a role in skin cancer development, tanning and skin aging.
No matter how you tan indoors or out you increase your risk for skin cancer.
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Indoor Tanning Is Not Any Safer For Your Skin Than Outdoor Tanning
Both indoor tanning and the sun expose skin to the same harmful ultraviolet radiation.
That exposure increases the production of melanin, the pigment that makes skin darker, Farma said. So a tan is a sign that skin damage has already happened.
Tanning beds might even be more dangerous than the sun because they can be used at the same intensity every day of the year.
I Survived Melanoma And I Want You To Know: Indoor Tanning Is Dangerous
Ashley Drury, 30, is a Florida native and stage 4 melanoma survivor.
I started using indoor tanning beds in high school and was instantly addicted to everything about themthe warmth, the humming noise, the way a tan boosted my confidence. Shortly after I started tanning as a hobby, it also became my career. For 6 years I worked in the tanning salon industry, including 3 years in management. I recruited all of my friends to either work or tan alongside me.
I attended trainings to learn about each layer of the skin and how the different types of ultraviolet rays affected the body. But I never thought that indoor tanning could be dangerous. I even wrote papers in college promoting it. I felt so invincible. Even after I heard horror stories about the negative effects of indoor tanning, I knew theyd never happen to me.
I couldnt have been more wrong.
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Advice For Breastfeeding Mothers Who Prefer To Use Tanning Beds:
Although tanning does not have any negative impact on your breastfed child, there are few pieces of advice you need to know during the breastfeeding phase:
- Consult your doctor before you decide on a tan. Tanning increases the risk of skin cancer. Your doctor may check your health condition and advise you about tanning.
- While using a tanning bed, breastfeeding mothers should never go topless. If the nipples are kept exposed to UV rays, they might get burnt. It could increase your discomfort while breastfeeding the baby.
- Breastfeeding with sunburn can further initiate extreme skin irritation. The mother may find it difficult to control the unbearable irritation.
- There are many tanning salons, who recommend using a tanning solution before going to the tanning bed. Remember that you should not apply the tanning lotion around the nipples.
Breastfeeding mothers need to be cautious, before trying anything new. Tanning is a natural phenomenon. However, consult your doctor before you use any artificial tanning beds.
Did you use tanning beds during breastfeeding? Did you encounter any health discomforts? If you have any questions, suggestions or stories to share with us, tell us about your experiences here. Leave a comment below!
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During Your Spray Tan Session
If you choose to visit a quality salon for a spray tan, you will be able to walk out with a “tan” after a single session .
Prior to your session, a spray tan technician will do a quick consultation with you. They will assess your skin tone in order to achieve the most natural-looking tan.
They will also ask you about any allergies you might have. DHA is the active ingredient in a spray tan. Spray tans also often include aloe vera, latex, fruit and nut extracts, and other potential allergens.
Since spray tans are not approved for the application to mucous membranes, these areas should be protected during application. Salons vary widely in the likelihood they will offer these protections, so anybody who chooses a spray tan should make sure they are protected.
A good salon should offer you eye protection, nose plugs, and lip balm, and educate you on the importance of using these.
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Still Thinking Of Using A Sunbed
If you are still thinking of using a sunbed please think again. Sunbed uses increases your risk of skin cancer, whatever your age, sex and skin type. But, some people are at greater risk that others and should not use a sunbed under any circumstances.
This includes you if:
- You have fair or freckled skin
- Your skin always burns and never tans or burns before it tans
- You have a lot of moles
- You have had skin cancer or a family member has had skin cancer
- You use cosmetics or take medications that make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.
If you are unsure whether the cosmetics or medication you use affect your risk, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Salient Points About Vitamin D Levels And Sunlight: Breast Cancer
- First of all, consider a breast-cancer study published in the scientific journal, Plos One. It showed that women with the highest vitamin D levels had a reduced breast-cancer risk. Most noteworthy, women with levels > 60 ng/ml had 82% reduced risk, compared to those with levels < 20 ng/ml. Furthermore, there was a dose-response decrease. For each increase in vitamin D levels, there was a concomitant decrease is breast-cancer risk.
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Whos At Risk Of Skin Damage From Sunbeds
Everyone who uses sunbeds increases their risk of UV damage and skin cancer, but some people are more at risk of burning than others. This includes people with one or more of the following:
skin that burns easily light or fair coloured skin, hair, or light coloured eyes lots of moles or freckles a history of sunburn a personal or family history of skin cancer
It is important to know how you can protect yourself. Find out more about your skin type and risk of sunburn.
More Truth About Sun Exposure
A very important paper regarding the necessity for sun exposure has recently been published by the journal Medical Hypothesis. It is entitled Regular sun exposure benefits health, and it discusses the pros and cons of sun exposure. One of the salient statements in the paper is that intermittent sun exposure may increase the risk of skin cancer, whereas regular exposure to sunlight might benefit health. For those of us who have for years studied the beneficial effects of sun exposure, the use of the word might is the only drawback to the statement. There is no doubt that for the majority of the population, regular sun exposure absolutely protects and enhances health.
Among the diseases mentioned as being reduced or prevented by regular sun exposure are the following:
As the authors mention, most of these positive effects of sun exposure were previously ascribed to Vitamin D, but they point out that immune system function is enhanced by sun exposure beyond the effects of vitamin D, and list other non-vitamin D benefits of the sun, including:
Safely enjoy the sun, and you then will also safely enjoy better health. Remember not to burn, and to gradually develop a good tan.
van der Rhee H, de Vries, E, Coebergh, J. Regular sun exposure benefits health. Medical Hypotheses 97 3437
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Grilled Meat And Fish: Colorectal And Prostate Cancer Risks
Cooking beef, pork, fish, or poultry using high-temperature methods, like pan-frying or grilling over an open flame, can form chemicals called heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which have been linked to cancer in animals, according to the National Cancer Institute. In 1999, a large-scale study published in the journal Cancer found well-done or grilled red meat was associated with an increased risk of colorectal adenoma, a precursor to colorectal cancer.
A more recent study, published in the journal Carcinogenesis, found cooking red meats at high temperatures, especially pan-frying, can increase the risk of advanced prostate cancer by as much as 40 percent.
Is The Breast Cancer Pandemic Due To Vitamin D Deficiency
First of all, as pointed out by the authors, numerous studies have shown an association between higher vitamin D level and breast cancer. But, other studies had not taken into consideration serum levels of vitamin D above 40 ng/ml. Why? Because that level had been considered the highest level needed for good health. Nevertheless, this study showed differences in breast cancer risk when comparing all serum vitamin D levels, and that made all the difference in the results. The research included 5,038 women.
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Do Breast Implants Disintegrate
It is inevitable that all breast implants will break eventually. Studies of silicone breast implants suggest that most implants last seven to 12 years, but some break during the first few months or years, while others last more than 15 years. It is not known how long the breast implants that are currently on the market will last.
The Risks Of Using Tanning Beds
When UV rays from the sun penetrate the lower layers of your skin, it prompts the cells to create a brown pigment called melanin. By darkening your skin, melanin protects it from further sun damage. A by-product of this is that your skin becomes tan.
While your tan may cause you to become the envy of all who see you, it also has more unfortunate consequences. Strong UV rays can actually change the DNA in your skin cells, which is what we think causes skin cancer. Each time you tan, your risk of developing skin cancer increases. Furthermore, tanning can put you at high risk for the most dangerous of skin cancers, melanoma. About 90% of melanoma cases are caused by UV exposure whether that comes from the sun or from tanning beds.
People often think tanning indoors is safer than lying out in the sun, and its easy to see why, especially since many tanning studios promote this idea. Sadly, though, its not true. In fact, the evidence suggests that indoor tanning is more dangerous than outdoor sun tanning. This may be because indoor tanning exposes your skin to UV light at a steady, unchanging intensity, whereas sun exposure varies based on factors like weather and cloud cover. Of course, any kind of tanning can lead to skin cancer, so we wouldnt suggest merely swapping one form of tanning for another.
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Staggering Statistics That Will Keep You Out Of A Tanning Bed
35% of American adults, 59% of college students and 17% of teens have reported using a tanning bed in their lifetime. Many people believe that using a tanning bed is safer than tanning outside. Unfortunately, thats untrue. Indoor tanning exposes you to UV rays, the cause of most skin cancer. No tan is a safe tan and just because a tanning bed is controlled doesnt mean you arent at risk.
READ THIS: More people develop skin cancer from indoor tanning than develop lung cancer from smoking.
Now here are other statistics that will keep you from visiting the tanning salon:
Be smart. Protect yourself by avoiding tanning beds and sunlamps. The long-term risks arent worth it.
And if youve used tanning beds or sunlamps in the past,
Dha Risks For Salon Employees
An issue which needs further evaluation is not only the safety of spray tans for the people who wish to have a “tan” but the possible effects on the technicians who apply them. Considering that technicians may administer multiple spray tans a day, any effects, especially from inhalation, could be compounded.
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Why Tanning Beds Cause Skin Cancer
Who doesnt love a nice tan? It creates that lovely glow, adds color to your face, and makes you feel good.
Unfortunately, it also significantly increases your risk of skin cancer. And while lying out in the sun for hours at a time is bad enough, indoor tanning is even worse. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has placed tanning beds on the highest level of cancer risk right up there with radium and plutonium. And you may be surprised to learn that using tanning beds even occasionally triples your chances of developing skin cancer.
Alcohol: Breast Colon Liver Esophageal Cancer Risks
Alcoholic beverages were listed as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1997, and numerous studies on a variety of cancers have shown an alcohol-cancer link. A new study, published in the April 2013 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, finds an even stronger link between cancer and alcohol deaths. Researchers from the Boston University schools of Medicine and Public Health found that alcohol resulted in about 20,000 cancer deaths in 2009, accounting for about 3.5 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States that year.
The researchers also found that each alcohol-related cancer death accounted for an average of 18 years of potential life lost in those who died. The new data serves as a reminder that alcohol is a carcinogen, even when consumed in moderate quantities. According to the data analysis in the study, average consumption of 1.5 drinks per day or less accounted for 30 percent of all alcohol-attributable cancer deaths. The strongest links between alcohol and cancer deaths were to breast cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancers, and liver cancer.
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