 |
 |
| JESSICA KOLDITZ / Scroll |
|
|
|
For some Americans, the bronze beach-bum look is hot.
So hot, in fact, that almost 30 million Americans visit indoor tanning salons each year, and 47 percent of young women aged 18 to 19 reported using a tanning booth three or more times, according to a 2004 study conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology.
Geographic location is also a determining factor in the use of tanning beds, as teens in the Midwest and South are two to three times more likely to go tanning as their peers in the rest of the country.
Students at BYU-Idaho go tanning for a number of reasons, including muscle definition, relaxation and help clearing complexions.
“After you get depressed, tanning is rejuvenating. It makes you happy,” said Haylie McClain, a freshman from Houston, Texas.
Dr. Kay Bishop, a dermatologist at Dermatology of Idaho in Rigby, Idaho, said many people tan because it makes them feel better about their appearance and can even combat seasonal affective disorder. SAD is a winter depression affecting half a million people each year, according to the Seasonal Affected Disorder Association.
However, Bishop warned the dangers of tanning are real.
She said tanning beds use harmful ultraviolet rays that penetrate more deeply than natural sunlight and cause damage to collagen and elastin in the skin.
High-pressure UVA sunlamps can emit doses of UVA as high as 15 times that of the sun, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
“In recent years, it has become more evident that [tanning] increases our risk for melanoma,” Bishop said. “Melanoma is the least common of the types of skin cancer and the most deadly, because it has the strongest tendency to leave the skin and spread to other organs.”
More than one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year.
Also, one in five Americans are expected to develop a form of skin cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Medical Association.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommended seeking medical advice if you develop an unusual mole, a scaly patch or a sore that doesn’t heal, because these may be signs of skin cancer.
You should also see a doctor if you have received skin or eye damage from the sun and are concerned about it.
For those who want a safe and healthy tan, Bishop suggested using artificial tanning creams. However, such products do not give you any protection from the sun, so it is important to use sunscreen as well.
