Tanning Beds: Officially a Serious Cancer Risk
I know this isn’t exactly fashion-related, but this news was too important not tell you about, especially since SO MANY college students go tanning on a regular basis.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer announced today that tanning beds are now classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, joining asbestos, mustard gas, plutonium, sunlight, and tobacco smoke on the list of the world’s most dangerous cancer-causing agents.
In addition to this, data published in Lancet Oncology show that people who use tanning beds before the age of 30 are 75% more likely to develop melanoma than if they had never used a tanning bed before 30. Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, responsible for the most skin cancer deaths each year. College students, therefore, are at a major risk here.
While maybe the dangers of skin cancer aren’t news, this is an important reminder to stay away from tanning beds!
Melanoma is a HUGE problem among college-age women, and being tan is just NOT worth the risk. There are tons of great self-tanning products out there that look just as good as a real tan, minus the risk of death. I’m a big fan of self-tanning and make sure to never tan in the sun or a tanning bed. Despite what some might think, there’s nothing fashionable about tanning in the sun or in a bed. It’s completely uncool as well as completely dangerous.
Think about it – is it really worth risking your life to be tan? Of course it’s not. Please think before you use a tanning bed or go out in the sun without SPF 15 or higher. You could be saving your own life.
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming…
Posted on on July 29, 2009 / Filed Under: Beauty & Hair / Tags: Beauty, Health, Life, News, Skin, Skincare, Tanning
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B.
I totally agree. I warn all my friends and tell them that they’re super stupid, and paying for cancer is a bad idea. A lot of people have the impression that they need to go tanning before they take a vacation to Florida, Mexico or another warm place, but this isn’t true. A base tan doesn’t help you, it is still very damaging.
Personally, I don’t like the way I look tan. I think the natural (and pale) look is nicer.
Julie
I hope this serves as a wake up call to a lot of college aged women out there. There are girls in my sorority that go tanning every other day without fail…I hate to think of all the horrible damage they’ve already done.
Luinae
Thanks for saying this. I see so many girls at my high school looking so tan from baking in the sun and going to tanning beds. Their skin is so dark and fake looking, and I know that it is so unhealthy.
I’m actually a huge fan of pale skin, because I don’t like the way I look tan. My hair is really, really dark brown. Almost black coloured- so pale skin provides a great contrast.
Kellene
Major props Zephyr! Hopefully they girls that are such big fans of your blog will listen to this very important post!
Katie
With all the taxes being placed on cigarettes (and more on the way!), I wonder if we’re going to be seeing some legislation to make the cost of tanning more prohibitive. Especially since it’s psychologically addictive — like Julie said, some people get to the point of wanting to go four or five times a week because of the relaxing high.
And like cigarettes, I’m thinking this is another case of celebrity culture giving the world a case of cancer. When Megan Fox, Katy Perry, Britney and Lindsay all are tanorexic chain-smoking women (that are also considered some of the hottest women alive), it’s tough not to think they know something you don’t…
Brittney
Thanks so much for posting this! I saw this the other day and linked the article to a bunch of friends.
Johanna
Thanks for posting this very important news! Ugh the college I just graduated from recently rented out some of their retail space to a tanning place – what an unhealthy message to send to students!
Katie – Germany actually passed legislation this past month prohibiting tanning booths for those under 18. I would not be surprised if this type of law made it to the U.S. Personally, I think if tobacco is prohibited under 18, other Group 1 carcinogens such as tanning beds should be as well
Little Red
I completely agree.
I’ll admit, I’m not innocent. I’ve gone to a tanning bed before. Less than ten times, which isn’t as much as some people, but it’s still bad. I haven’t been in a tanning bed in years. And I will never get in another one.
Now I wear sunscreen daily and I’m proud of my fair, freckled skin!
Little Red
Genetically freckled skin, I should say. Thankfully, my freckles aren’t from the sun.
Jennifer
Thank you so much for posting this, it is baffling how many students I know who still go tanning or to tanning beds because “it looks good”. They make fun of my lack of a tan at the end of the summer, even though there is plenty of information available to let them know that the sun can cause cancer, which can KILL you. Everyone hates cancer, but so few people believe that the sun will make them another statistic.
M
Thanks for spreading the word. :)
ashley
i saw a special on this on tv last night listing the same facts. i’ve gone there a couple times in the past, but my skin is so odd, i’m sure i would somehow get skin cancer. this makes me think of all my friends because they all use tanning beds. it makes me nervous.
Gabbie
Thanks so much for posting this. Personally, I don’t like the burnt orangey look a tanning bed gives you. It looks so bad. And while the sun (in moderation) has some benefits (vitamin D), a tanning bed doesn’t. I knew a girl whose mother was diagnosed with melanoma and she still insisted on going to tanning beds and I just find no point in it. I must admit that I need to make better use of my sunblock from now on, especially since I live in Florida. :) Thanks for the reminder! Love the site by the way.
lauren @ la petitefashionista
As a floridian, I get an insane amount of sun just from being outside from day to day (though I use a foundation with spf in it), but theres always this huge pressure to be tan! (I prefer a nice sunless lotion!).
I’ll be forwarding this to my little sister, she’s an AVID tanning bed user, and it really worries me! :(
thank you for the article!
Shelbi
Exactly! Thank you for posting this!
Caitlin
great post, I was just reading about this in the paper this morning. luckily I’ve never been a fan of tanning beds, I attempted to try it out when my highschool grad was coming up because all my friends were doing it, and so I thought why not, for the special occasion? I literally lasted like 30 seconds and had to get out I felt so weird and claustrophobic. cooking myself in an alien mothership-esque machine really isn’t for me, and I’m glad now more people will be thinking twice about getting inside those things just to be tan.
lately I’ve been thinking about the sun and its effects on the skin, since I have a bit more time on my hands this summer and I’ve had more time to go the beach. I know people say don’t tan in the sun, but what qualifies? is it okay to wear sunscreen and lay out? or should you not be lying on your towel in the sun period? if you’re at the beach how would you avoid this? this might sound dumb but I don’t want to be unhealthy :( help!
Jojo
Thank you for this post! I used to be a tanning fanatic, and I definitely agree that looking dark is not worth all the health risks, especially when there are such awesome products for self tanning that essentially give the same thing! (minus the health risks)
Candice
I agree too, besides you could totally look prettier without a tan. Especially, these days, with all those global warming and all. It’s not worth risking at all.
Mary
Thank you so much for mentioning this. My mom is struggling with skin cancer right now, and I think it’s SO IMPORTANT for people to realize how necessary it is to protect yourself, and how real the dangers truly are.
Thanks again!!
Michelle
@Caitlin, it’s okay to lay on a towel in the sun if you are wearing sunscreen. If you’re in the sun, apply sunscreen 10-20 minutes before exposure and reapply sunscreen every 30-45 minutes (based on the SPF). Always wear a hat and sunglasses (sun damages your eyes too), and try to keep covered as much as possible, like wear a dress (cute coverup?) over your bikini instead of lying out only in your bikini.
@blog: I used to know a girl at my high school who would go to three or four different tanning places a day, because you are (legally) only allowed to be in tanning beds for 30 minutes at a time. So she would go to one, get 30 minutes, go to another, get 30 more minutes, on and on until she’d spent between 2-3 hours in them!! I heard last year that she was diagnosed with skin cancer.
I know girls my age say (people I’m friends with), “I like to be tan and so what if there is a possibility that I could get cancer? Everything gives you cancer!” That always really disgusted me. I’m so glad this study came out and I am so glad a blog like College Fashion shared the findings with readers!!
holly
I had the same opinions as you did until i started working at a tanning salon. If people are going to go tan, it’s actually safer to go in a tanning bed because it uses specific amounts of UVA/UVB light. The problem is when people abuse it (for example going 2-3 hrs in one day..now thats crazy) If you start off slow and gradually build up the minutes your in the bed along with strength of the bulbs it’s the same or maybe even safer than just laying out in the sun. These days many things can cause cancer, the important thing to know is that you need to take everything in moderation.
holly
its also interesting to note that dermatologists use UV therapy on their patients for skin treatments…
Jess
I heard about this earlier. I hate tanning and never when to a tanning bed. But a girl I knew goes every single day and at times would get bad when they wouldn’t let her tan, since she didn’t wait 24 hours
I think its weird that people try so hard to be tan. I have a light tan, naturally, and I try hard not to get even more tan.
Lauren
I’m so glad I quit tanning this year! I could absolutely kick myself for tanning at least three times/week for five years. There have been such advancements in sunless tanning (check out St. Tropez or Sunlove) that tanning beds shouldn’t be used much anymore. Zephyr, you should definitely do an article about sunless tanning to help get the word out about the improvements in sunless tanning!
cal
thanks for advocating against tanning beds.i’m quite a fan of tanned skin but i totally agree that it isn’t worth the risk of skin cancer. although some of my friends think it’s silly to use a bronzer, i’ll still be doing that anyway to get my tan=)
morgan
thank you for raising awareness to this issue! hopefully, people will see and realize that tanned skin isnt worth it. Seriously, i would rather be pale and happy than tan and….well, dead!
Kortnee
I always leave the house with an SPF 30 on. And I have never once stepped foot in a tanning bed. Yech. Everyone in high school teased me, but now that we’re approaching 20 and 21, I’m one of the few girls from my graduating class who doesn’t look like a leather handbag.
Alli
I think it’s really important for people to realize that we live in a consumer-driven economy. If we were to boycott tanning beds and make a big enough deal about the dangers of tanning/sun damage then beauty/skincare companies would invest more money in developing safe, realistic, easy to use, affordable alternatives. Spread the word about this article to your friends and prevent the tanning industry from becoming as lying and deceptive as the tobbacco industry.
Aury@ An Ordinary Girl's World
whether the tanning places use specially regulated uv radiation or not, the fact remains it is radiation. It is bad for your health. The fact its right up there with asbetos, plutonium and smoking means that u are taking a serious health risk. It really isnt worth it.
TSlice
This should be a big wake up call to people that regularly go to tanning salons. For years doctors have been warning people about the dangers of it.
Erica
Thank you Zephyr! Skin cancer IS a serious problem! I should know, my dad died from melanoma less than 2 years ago. It’s a deadly cancer, and it’s absolutely horrendous to go through. To all those who think it’s not a big deal, or it “can’t” happen to you, think again…
Sure, being tan is nice, I like to look tan too, but you’re better off using sun-less tan lotions and such. Aside from cancer, UV rays can cause wrinkles and sun spots! Yuck!
nikki
i only went tanning three times for prom, and going twice gave me so many freckles! it is scary how drastically tanning beds change your skin in such a short amount of time! i don’t see how some girls think these are SAFER than the sun! i know so many girls that go tanning all of the time and some are even starting to use WRINKLE CREAM at the age of 19. people need to wake up and realize that they are putting their health in danger by using tanning beds. i will never use one again. yeah it would be nice to be tan, but i would rather be pale and not have skin damage than be tan and develop melanoma and go through a serious health scare! thank you so much for this post. i really hope a lot of girls see it.
Beth
Thanks you!
I’ve always been pale and while it is sometimes hard being the white one is a sea of golden brown, I know that in the end I will not only have less wrinkles and better skin, I will be alive and cancer-free!
Ariel
This article has definitely made me think about tanning and such, but I would like to know how many of you use your SPF 15 or 30 every day and still spend time around bars or people who smoke? How many of you drink alcohol? I think that tanning really isn’t good for you, but what’s even worse is being forced to be out in the sun and having no base tan or not being used to the sun at all. There are many things that we all take part in every day that can lead to cancer, and spending 5 minutes out in the sun without your SPF 30 is not going to kill you. There are many things way worse that the majority of college students take part in that can eventually kill. Thank you for this article, it has been very informative. And thank you to Holly for making a reasonable point about personal sun exposure.
mandy
holly you are wrong. there is no safe tanning. tanning salons come up with this junk to convince naive people to keep their business alive.
Kaitlin
I will have to agree that tanning, both indoor and outdoor, can cause cancer. That is a given, just like smoking and chewing and living near a nuclear plant. All of these raise a person’s chances of receiving a human’s worst enemy. However, I believe that comparing tanning beds to arsenic and mustard gas, is taking it a little bit too far and the comparison is only used to shy people into the shade and out of the sun. In fact, the sun gives us a great amount of Vitamin D and is used to help treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. I recently just got hired at a tanning salon that is all about education. I have been training for three weeks now and have gone to a few skin care classes. We have two layers of the skin, the epidermis and the dermis, the epidermis is what produces our skin cells. The dermis is our living layer. Without going too much into detail because I could give a Skin Care 101 lecture, our epidermis sheds every 28 days. So, if you are tanning in moderation, both indoor and outdoor, it is VERY simple to tan without damaging yourself. The only time you are damaging yourself is when you burn, which means the sun as reached your dermis layer. If you prevent yourself from getting burned and your tanning skin cells are sluffed off every 28 days, then how is your body being damaged? I think it’s very important to be educated on the skin to understand how exactly tanning (indoor and outdoor) works.
Tiffani
I’m newly pale, my decision was made because of a friend being diagnosed with melanoma. I usually love how I look tan but it’s not worth the risk… I’m now trying to find a good self tanner, i’m experimenting with jergens natural glow…