Skin Cancer – Tanning Dangers

It is time to decide how much that tan means really to you. No longer can you look away from the ever increasing evidence that sunbathing can lead to skin cancer. The ultraviolet light from the shining sun damages your skin. It can cause premature wrinkling, skin cancer and other troublesome skin disorders. A tan, something people not only spend hours outside trying to achieve but will pay for tanning time at salons, is actually the body’s way of protecting itself from the sun by laying down a coating of darker skin. Those who burn do not have this advantage.

Tanning Salons

For any of you who feel that tanning salons are safer, don’t believe it. They use the same ultraviolet light harnessed into their tanning booths or tanning beds. Although there are two types of ultraviolet light, UVA and UVB don’t believe the advertising that says only harmless UVA light is used. UVA is just as dangerous to the health of your skin; it just takes longer to do the same damage. An average session at a tanning salon of fifteen to thirty minutes is like spending the entire day lying in the sun.

Fairly Skinned People

Those who are fairest skinned, having blond or especially red hair, with light colored eyes, blue or grey, are more likely to develop skin problems, and potentially skin cancer than those who are less pale, darker haired and have darker eye color. It’s a fact that natural hair color seems to be a big factor in potential skin cancer probability. Woman with red hair are four times as likely to contract skin cancer and blonds have two times the risk as their darker haired counterparts.

Tanning Salons for Women

Research has shown that women who use tanning salons as little as once monthly still have a fifty five percent chance of developing skin cancer as opposed to women who have never used artificial means to tan. More startling was the report that if you used these artificial means when younger, in your twenties, the chances of developing skin cancer increased to one hundred and fifty percent.

Men tan by Artificial Means

What about men? We know that many women tan because they feel it makes them look more attract to their men. Do men do the same foolishness to their skin? No, they don’t. Far fewer men use artificial means to tan. But, the case of skin cancer among men is on the rise having increased by over twelve percent in the last six years. This is likely due to the sports that men play outside where they are either shirtless or wearing no more than a tank top. Research shows that eighty percent of diagnosed skin cancers cases in men can be traced to the amount of sun contact.

To help diminish your risk of skin cancer, simply follow some easy steps to protecting your precious skin. Always use a sunscreen when outside for long periods of time. Make sure it has a rating of no less then SPF 15, though higher is better.