Don't Get Burned

c. June 2010

There are lots of signs that herald the arrival of summer. Floral blossoms turn into blooms, bathing suits appear in store windows, summer seasonal brews hit the pubs, and every woman’s magazine on the newsstand has a feature on skin cancer.
There’s good reason for concern.  Cases of skin cancer are on the rise in the US and a growing number of doctors say that tanning can be addictive as drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. Tanning beds and booths are especially concerning to dermatologists.
A recent study showed that anyone who has ever used a tanning bed is 74 percent more likely to end up with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Over the past two decades the indoor tanning business has exploded into a billion dollar industry. During the same period skin cancer has become the most common form of cancer for 25-29 year olds.
“I’m just going to get a base tan” has become our generation’s “I can stop smoking whenever I want”.  Many people don’t want to hear it, but the reality is there is no such thing as a ‘safe tan’. Any darkening of skin tone is an indicator that damage has been done to your skin.
Tanning beds and booths are particularly damaging. If you need further proof, last year a group of international scientists determined that tanning beds are carcinogenic. That puts them in the same category as asbestos, tobacco and arsenic.
Owners of tanning salons, as you can imagine, are upset by that study and others like it. The negative reports are also taking a toll on their bottom line.  The health care bill passed in March includes a provision that mandates a 10 percent tax on sessions involving ultraviolet rays effective July 1st.
So-called ‘sin taxes’ are already levied on alcohol and tobacco in most states (some at higher rates than others), and the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation projects the tax will raise $2.7 billion over 10 years.
Worship of the actual sun, rather than a glowing tanning bed, isn’t 100 percent safe, but, like alcohol, sun exposure brings health benefits along with the potential risks. The key, as with oh so many things in life, is moderation.
So while it’s probably fine to walk the dog without sunscreen a few times a week, you probably shouldn’t go lay on the beach from 10 am ‘til 2 pm with just a thin coat of 8 SPF.
As someone with fair skin, a family history of skin cancer and bad sunburns in my past I know I need to be careful. My approach to fun in the summer sun includes lots of SPF, scheduling an annual visit to the dermatologist for a ‘spot check’ and trying to worry just enough–but not too much–about the skin cancer horror stories in last month’s Glamour.
Do you worry about too much sun exposure but can’t stop using tanning beds? What’s your go-to SPF?