By Dr. Wendy Myers
Summer
is notorious for parties, weddings, graduations and barbeques where everyone strives
to look their best. Unfortunately, for many people, the notion of looking their
best is inevitably tied to having a bronze glow or some kind of just returned
from an island tan.
As
a result, despite all the warnings to the contrary, some people still insist on
making tanning an essential part of their grooming ritual. But here’s the deal,
whether you do it the old-fashioned way (baking in the sun), or by cheating,
i.e., sitting in a tanning bed or under a sun lamp—exposure to concentrated
amounts of ultraviolet rays is still incredibly hazardous to your health, and,
you guessed it, your skin.
Increased
exposure to ultraviolet rays is never good.
Although
it may not feel as inherently dangerous as bronzing in the sun for an afternoon
at the beach or pool, whenever you step (or lie down) in a tanning bed, your skin
is exposed to a seriously concentrated amount of ultraviolet rays, both UVA and
UVB.
UVB
rays penetrate the top layers of your skin and are most responsible for causing
sunburns. UVA rays penetrate the deeper layers of your skin and are often
associated with allergic reactions or rashes. According to the Skin
Cancer Foundation, UVA and UVB rays can also wreak all sorts of havoc on
your skin. For instance:
- Premature skin aging. Excessive exposure to UV rays can cause your skin to age, causing leathery, wrinkled skin and dark spots. It also breaks down the collagen and elastin fibers in younger skin, causing loosened folds.
- Eye damage. According to the FDA, photokeratitis and cataracts can be produced by exposure to intense artificial sources of UVC/UVB light, found in certain types of tanning lamps. For photokeratitis, a person can experience swollen eyelids, decreased vision as well as tearing or pain. For cataracts, a person can experience clouded or spotty vision and pain or soreness in and around the eyes.
- Immune suppression. UVB radiation may suppress proper functioning of the body’s immune system and the skin’s natural defenses, leaving you more susceptible to diseases, including skin cancer.
- Greater risk for developing skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Studies have found that 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 (both forms of skin cancer). And an alarming 3.5 million people are diagnosed each year with a form of skin cancer, this is more than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined.
Additionally,
studies have shown that indoor tanning before the age of 35 increases the risk
of melanoma by as much as 79 percent, while tanning before the age of 25
increases non-melanoma skin cancer risks from 40 to 100 percent. In case you didn’t know it, melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and
it is mainly attributed to intense UV exposure (most often from the sun or
tanning beds). Statistics
say that over 420,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually due to
tanning bed exposure. Of those cases, it's been reported that 6,299 are
melanoma. The message here? Tanning beds are
unsafe for all, but especially dangerous for teens and those in their early
twenties.
When
you weigh the positives versus the negatives, it’s surprising how many people
continue to subject themselves and their skin to these harmful UV rays. My
advice? Skip the tanning rituals altogether, and concentrate on celebrating the
summer season with your friends and family. For more information, visit www.windsordermatology.com or call
609-443-4500 to make an appointment for a skin screening today.
