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Exposing your skinoutdoors or at a tanning salonto ultraviolet- A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) light is dangerous. Your skin reacts by producing additional pigment to protect itself against burn from ultraviolet rays. This tanning increases your risk of skin cancer and of premature aging. You want to look healthy and glowing, but you shouldn't damage your beautiful skin in the process; there is a healthier alternative.
Research
Tanning salons claim that they offer safe, gradual tanning with controlled UVA light. This is not true; the UVA exposure is damaging your skin and putting you at risk for skin cancer, sunspots, early wrinkling, and more.
Scientists at Dartmouth Medical School performed a study to determine if artificial tanning devices, such as sunlamps and tanning beds, increase your chance of developing skin cancer. The results were reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute , stating that people who used tanning devices were 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma than people who did not use tanning devices ( Feb. 6, 2002; 94(3):224-226).
Regulation
Over half of the states in this country are requiring teenagers under the age of 18 to have written permission from a parent to receive tanning services. The goal is to prevent children from engaging in this harmful activity and to send the message that tanning (indoor and outdoor) is dangerous with potential deadly hazards, not to mention early wrinkling and sunspots.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that manufacturers of tanning beds and sunlamp products affix warning statements to the product. In addition, as found on the FDA Web site, the government states, The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourage people to avoid use of tanning beds and sunlamp products.
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