On the heels of this morning’s announcement that tanning beds are as carcinogenic as tobacco or asbestos, the Indoor Tanning Association is starting to fight back. Indoor Tanning Association President, Dan Humiston has taken the stand that medical warnings such as this morning’s (Tanning Beds Deemed High Cancer Risk) are scaremongering and will damage small businesses.

The association does acknowledge that ultraviolet can be dangerous. In an ad to appear in tomorrow’s New York Post, they say,
UV light from a tanning bed is the same as UV light from the sunshine, which has had the “group 1” classification since 1992.
But …read more

Although people who love to use tanning beds and the beds’ businesses will say otherwise, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that the medical community fears the effects of the tanning beds and booths.
They have sounded warnings in the past about the use of tanning beds and booths, but they are still popular among many, particularly the younger adults and teens. The tanning done by this method allows strong ultraviolet rays to hit the skin and cause damage. This damage has a high chance of developing into skin cancer years down the road.
Researchers looked at 20 different studies and, using those study …read more

This morning, I read a very sad story about Kelly Thompson. She’s only a 10-year-old little girl but suffered burns over 70% of her body after using….brace yourselves parents this may shock you….a tanning bed. She was actually in a tanning bed for 16 minutes, unsupervised. The BCC is reporting that there was no one staffed there when she entered.
“She was under-age but there was no staff there to stop her from using it. And there was no-one to give advice on using these potentially dangerous machines.”
This was one very lucky girl, even if she did get burned. Doctors said …read more

Malignant melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – is now the most common cancer for women in their 20s in the UK. According to Cancer Research UK, almost each day of the year, a UK woman between 20 and 29 is diagnosed with the deadly cancer. For women in their 30s, malignant melanoma has risen to be the third most common cancer.
The rise in melanoma is being attributed to binge tanning during holidays and the increasing use of tanning beds or sunbeds. SunSmart Caroline Cerny, manager for Cancer Research UK’s campaign, advises:
“Spending time on sunbeds is just …read more

If some Texas lawmakers have their way, teens will have to show proof of age before entering a tanning bed.
A new law has been proposed, banning tanning beds for use if you’re under 18 years old. The idea is much like the ban on tobacco, to prevent exposure to a known cancer-causing agent, in this case, the ultraviolet rays.
The state already has some tanning-regulatory laws in place. Parents must accompany their child if the child is under 16, and if the teen is 16 or older, but under 18, he or she must have parental permission. A doctor’s note will …read more