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Advice for Teens: Are Tanning Salons Safe?


For most teens, getting a tan is part of a great summer vacation or getting ready for a hot date. Although dermatologists have warned us that tanning is the most avoidable risk factor in the prevention of skin cancer, studies show we forget this advice in favor of the bronzed look.

“The most dangerous part of tanning salons,” says Dr. Jaime Tschen, dermapathologist, “is not just that the bulbs emit UVA rays, but that they’re unregulated. People with fair skin are getting the same dosage as people with dark skin – and no one is controlling the output.”

The only safe tanning? The spray-on and wipe-on self-tanning types. Fortunately, these products improve every year and provide the appearance of tanned skin, without the lasting damage.

• Teach your children good sun protection habits. The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.
• Examine your skin, head to toe, at least once every three months. Look for sores
that won’t heal, changes in mole appearance, and discoloration.
• Always seek medical attention if you see changes on your skin. Experts recommend that at-risk people (fair skin, multiple moles, family history) get dermatological exams annually. Everyone should be checked regularly after age 50.

1 The Skin Cancer Foundation,
www.skincancer.org
2 ibid

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