Fake Tanning Causes Skin Cancer
Lying down, eyes closed, the warm sensation of the sun hitting your body. This is how it feels when you tan in a tanning bed. Tanning beds are so comfortable. You are able to get your tan in them for twenty minutes or so without going in the sun. It is quick and easy, and you are able to fit this into your hectic schedule every day. Fake tanning is such a large debate and controversy when it comes to causing skin cancer. However, concern has been raised about whether artificial tanning methods lead to skin cancer, and in my opinion, it does.
Fake tanning is a part of the new generation. Many people love to get spray tans, tan in tanning beds and also use fake tanning cream. The media plays a lot in this. For example, Jersey Shore, a common MTV reality TV show, has the men and women all tanned out. The cast of Jersey Shore is even coming out with their new tanning products. This makes young men and women more prone to try fake tanning. But what they don’t know is the long term effects that it will have on your body. Tanning in tanning beds is probably one of the most harmful things for your body. It generates ultraviolet (UV) rays through your body. People get UV rays from a lot of things, such as the sun. But a lot of UV exposure can have negative long-term effect on your body. “One of the most common effects of UV exposure is ‘erythema,’ also known as sunburn. Sunburn occurs when skin cells are damaged by the absorption of energy from UV rays” (NSF. n.d.).
Another effect of UV rays is your skin wrinkling and aging. One of the most important effects that UV rays have is that it can lead to 3 types of skin cancers. The first is melanoma, the most well known and “most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin disease” (A.D.A.M. 2011). There are also non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. “Basal and squamous are less serious and far more commonly occurring than melanoma”(Hawaleshka & Righton, 2005).
“Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90% of all skin cancer in the U.S.” (Rockoff. n.d.). Skin cancer
like basal cell carcinoma does not metastasize, spread to other parts of the body. Instead it stays in one area and grows and invades surrounding tissues. “Squamous cell carcinoma is found in tissues that form on the surface of the skin” (Rockoff. n.d.). These non-melanoma cancers aren’t as harmful as melanoma but “it is believed that ultraviolet rays (specifically UV-B) are one of the chief causes in these two cancers” (NSF. N.d.).
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer (Rockoff, n.d.). Tanning
beds/booths increase your risk of getting cancer because they do have the UV lights and generate UV rays into your body. Sitting under UV lights for twenty minutes or so makes you more prone to getting skin cancer, wrinkles, and sunburns because these UV rays are getting generated into your body.
“Ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal” (National Cancer Institute n.d.).
In Conclusion, you can see that tanning in tanning beds produce some types of skin cancer and do have long-term effect on your body. Whether severe or no so serious, one must always be careful when tanning outside as well. Thus, people need to reconsider if tanning is worth it, and if they do decide to tan, they should take precautions. Wear protective sunscreen and stay away from tanning beds. The UV rays will do you no good! And remember “a common misconception among the public is that if the damage isn’t visible, no damage has been done (NSF n.d.).
References:
A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (July 26, 2011) Melanoma, PubMed Health Retrieved on November 25, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001853/
Hawaleshka, D. & Righton, B. (2005) p38-43. Maclean’s 6/27/2005. Vol 118 Issue 26. CANCER BE DAMNED< KIDS WANNA TAN. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.sjc.edu/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=105&sid=90bd
ce58-2b0f-4bfc-93ce-5 08613380d37%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d
#db=f5h&AN=17439384
National Cancer Institute at the Nation Institutes of Health (n.d), Artificial Tanning Booths and Cancer. Retrieved November 25, 2011, from
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/entertainment/tipsheet/tanning-booths
NSF Polar Programs UV Monitoring Network, (n.d) Effects of UV Radiation on You, Retrieved November 25, 2011 from http://uv.biospherical.com/student/page4.html
Rockoff, Alan MD (n.d.) MedicineNet.com. Skin Cancer (Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer). Retrieved November 25 2011, from http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer/article.htm
Image:
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/wp-content/uploads/satevepost/photo_20090808_tanning_bed-400x265.jpg
Fake tanning is a part of the new generation. Many people love to get spray tans, tan in tanning beds and also use fake tanning cream. The media plays a lot in this. For example, Jersey Shore, a common MTV reality TV show, has the men and women all tanned out. The cast of Jersey Shore is even coming out with their new tanning products. This makes young men and women more prone to try fake tanning. But what they don’t know is the long term effects that it will have on your body. Tanning in tanning beds is probably one of the most harmful things for your body. It generates ultraviolet (UV) rays through your body. People get UV rays from a lot of things, such as the sun. But a lot of UV exposure can have negative long-term effect on your body. “One of the most common effects of UV exposure is ‘erythema,’ also known as sunburn. Sunburn occurs when skin cells are damaged by the absorption of energy from UV rays” (NSF. n.d.).
Another effect of UV rays is your skin wrinkling and aging. One of the most important effects that UV rays have is that it can lead to 3 types of skin cancers. The first is melanoma, the most well known and “most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin disease” (A.D.A.M. 2011). There are also non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. “Basal and squamous are less serious and far more commonly occurring than melanoma”(Hawaleshka & Righton, 2005).
“Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90% of all skin cancer in the U.S.” (Rockoff. n.d.). Skin cancer
like basal cell carcinoma does not metastasize, spread to other parts of the body. Instead it stays in one area and grows and invades surrounding tissues. “Squamous cell carcinoma is found in tissues that form on the surface of the skin” (Rockoff. n.d.). These non-melanoma cancers aren’t as harmful as melanoma but “it is believed that ultraviolet rays (specifically UV-B) are one of the chief causes in these two cancers” (NSF. N.d.).
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer (Rockoff, n.d.). Tanning
beds/booths increase your risk of getting cancer because they do have the UV lights and generate UV rays into your body. Sitting under UV lights for twenty minutes or so makes you more prone to getting skin cancer, wrinkles, and sunburns because these UV rays are getting generated into your body.
“Ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal” (National Cancer Institute n.d.).
In Conclusion, you can see that tanning in tanning beds produce some types of skin cancer and do have long-term effect on your body. Whether severe or no so serious, one must always be careful when tanning outside as well. Thus, people need to reconsider if tanning is worth it, and if they do decide to tan, they should take precautions. Wear protective sunscreen and stay away from tanning beds. The UV rays will do you no good! And remember “a common misconception among the public is that if the damage isn’t visible, no damage has been done (NSF n.d.).
References:
A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (July 26, 2011) Melanoma, PubMed Health Retrieved on November 25, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001853/
Hawaleshka, D. & Righton, B. (2005) p38-43. Maclean’s 6/27/2005. Vol 118 Issue 26. CANCER BE DAMNED< KIDS WANNA TAN. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.sjc.edu/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=105&sid=90bd
ce58-2b0f-4bfc-93ce-5 08613380d37%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d
#db=f5h&AN=17439384
National Cancer Institute at the Nation Institutes of Health (n.d), Artificial Tanning Booths and Cancer. Retrieved November 25, 2011, from
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/entertainment/tipsheet/tanning-booths
NSF Polar Programs UV Monitoring Network, (n.d) Effects of UV Radiation on You, Retrieved November 25, 2011 from http://uv.biospherical.com/student/page4.html
Rockoff, Alan MD (n.d.) MedicineNet.com. Skin Cancer (Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer). Retrieved November 25 2011, from http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer/article.htm
Image:
http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/wp-content/uploads/satevepost/photo_20090808_tanning_bed-400x265.jpg