Tanning
Tanning Is Not Part
of a Healthy Lifestyle
A tan, whether you get it on the beach, in a bed, or through incidental exposure, is bad news, any way you acquire it. Tans are caused by harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning lamps, and if you have one, you’ve sustained skin cell damage.
No matter what you may hear at tanning salons, the cumulative damage caused by UV radiation can lead to premature skin aging (wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots, and more), as well as skin cancer. Indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors.
For the real facts about the dangers of tanning and how to get a bronzed glow without risking your health, read the tanning information below or visit our Prevention section.
Featured Story
Melanoma Soars
Among Young Adults
A new study has revealed an alarming rise in melanoma among people aged 18 to 39: over the past 40 years, rates of this potentially deadly skin cancer grew by 800 percent among young women and 400 percent among young men. Researchers examined data on the 256 young adults in Olmstead County, MN, who were diagnosed with melanoma between 1970 and 2009.
Response to the FDA’s Proposed Order to Reclassify Tanning Beds
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a proposed order that, if finalized, would reclassify ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices as moderate risk devices (class II). The proposed order also requires warning labels on the devices and in related promotional material, alerting young people to the dangers associated with their use.
Learn More About Tanning
Hooked on Tanning: Why You Shouldn't Start
Despite overwhelming evidence linking UV radiation to skin cancer, exposure to the sun and indoor tanning machines continues to increase.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Young women whose first indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanning experience is with their mothers are more than 4.6 times more likely to become heavy tanners.
Fake It, Don't Bake It
For those who recognize the dangers of ultraviolet radiation, but still want a golden glow, it pays to become acquainted with today’s much-improved sunless tanners and learn how they differ from UV tanning.
Appearance Trumps Health as an Anti-Tanning Argument
“I know I’ll probably get skin cancer from tanning, but that will be when I’m old, like in my forties.”