In July, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) added ultraviolet (UV) radiation from tanning machines to its list of the most dangerous cancer-causing radiation — a list that includes the radioactive element plutonium. Unfortunately, the health threat tanning machines pose is not reflected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s classification of these devices. But you can join our campaign to help change this.

Click here to sign our petition to the FDA today!

WASHINGTON (AP) - Just as millions head to tanning beds to prepare for spring break, the Food and Drug Administration will be debating how to toughen warnings that those sunlamps pose a cancer risk.

Yes, sunburns are particularly dangerous. But there's increasing scientific consensus that there's no such thing as a safe tan, either.

This is a message that Katie Donnar, 18, dismissed until a year ago when, preparing for the Miss Indiana pageant, she discovered a growth on her leg _ an early-stage melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

She can't prove tanning beds are to blame, but started using them as a sixth-grade cheerleader, says she stepped under the bulbs about every other day during parts of high school, and at one point even owned one. No more.

Scientists have analyzed the genome (complete genetic information) for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Scientists at The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in Hinxton, England, have mapped the genetic material that makes up melanoma, and identified thousands of mutations, changes or errors that occur in genes due to radiation, viruses, and other causes. These mutations, which increase the risk of cancer, can be caused by damage to the skin cells’ DNA by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. According to the Sanger Institute, “The melanoma genome contains more than 33,000 mutations, many of which bear the imprint of the most common cause of melanoma — exposure to ultraviolet light.” Not all mutations cause cancer, however, so the scientists will next try to determine exactly which of the mutations play a role in the development of melanoma. Scientists hope that they will eventually be able to develop new cancer treatments by targeting specific mutated genes.

Learn about the Wellcome Trust’s melanoma research.

1. Studies Link UV Exposure to Melanoma
According to a definitive new study by researchers at The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, the vast majority of mutations found in melanoma are caused by ultraviolet radiation.

2. Tanning Beds Increase the Risk of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers
People who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

3. UV Exposure Causes Skin Aging
Up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by UV exposure.

4. Tanning is No Longer Fashionable
Celebrities, models and fashion insiders all know tanning is no longer in style.

5. Proposed tax on indoor tanning
The US Senate’s approval of a 10 percent excise tax on the use of indoor tanning beds as part of the new healthcare reform bill (H.R. 3590) is an important step forward in the fight against skin cancer.

Click here for more information.

As the temperature keeps dropping, you may be bundling up nicely against the cold; but are you sun-protected? No matter how many layers we wear, one part of the body — our head and neck area — tends to remain exposed to the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation year-round. Not coincidentally, the face, head and neck are where the majority of skin cancers occur. But we’ve got advice that’ll keep you covered.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, the Foundation raised close to $40,000 during our year-end campaign, surpassing our goal of $25,000 by $15,000! With the addition of the extraordinary matching gift from Advisory Board member Mindy Gorman, you helped us raise $65,000!

The money raised through this campaign will go directly to our lifesaving programs like the Road to Healthy Skin Tour and educational children’s programs.

Thank you to everyone who participated in and contributed to the tremendous success of this campaign. You make our work possible.

Q. What should I look for when I perform a skin self-exam, and how do I perform one?

A. Skin self-exams aid in early detection of skin cancers. They should be performed once a month, in addition to an annual full-body skin exam by your physician.

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Roger Ceilley, MD, FAAD, is Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, and is in private practice in West Des Moines.