Indoor tanning just as bad as outdoor tanning

Many are aware of the dangers of extended exposure to the sun: it can cause premature aging, cataract, eye damage, depression of the immune system and skin cancer.

The incidence of skin cancer is growing worldwide. Currently, from two to almost three million people suffer from melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

Statistics are not encouraging. Skin cancer will persist and cases will increase as the ozone levels of the atmosphere are depleted.

While the main factor responsible for the development of skin cancer is sun exposure, indoor tanning is just as bad.

Tanning beds double risk of skin cancer

At the 65th Annual Cancer Symposium last March 23, 2012, the Society of Surgical Oncology said it wants to ban of the use of tanning beds.

Data from the Journal of Internal Medicine (2011) reveals that exposing oneself to the ultraviolet rays of an indoor tanning bed doubles the risk of developing skin cancer. Ultraviolet rays (UVA, UVB and UVC) are classified as class 1 carcinogens along with other known deadly chemicals like tobacco, arsenic, asbestos, mustard gas and plutonium.

Tanning beds have long been recognized as a public hazard in some countries like Brazil and Australia where legislators have banned their use since 2004.

Blame Coco Chanel

In the United States, indoor tanning is a 2.6 billion dollar industry. Americans may frequent a tanning salon as often as 20 times a year. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that there were more tanning businesses in each city in the U.S. than Starbucks and McDonald's.

If there is anyone to blame for this careless habit of sun worshipping, it is Coco Chanel.

Early in the 1920s, after a cruise from Paris, famed designer Coco Chanel accidentally had too much sun. She stepped out of the ship dreadfully and painfully sunburned. But being who she was, the press and the fashion world thought her accidental tan was a new fashion statement. Pretty soon, the entire Europe and America were baring their skin to the sun…and the rest is history.


But don't get me wrong. Getting some sun isn't all that bad. Sunlight has a lot of health benefits like providing Vitamin D which is essential for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis. The recommendation to achieve the optimum amount of Vitamin D in the body is daily sun exposure for 15-20 minutes BEFORE 10am and AFTER 3pm. So grab your sunblock, hat and umbrella and let's go hit the beach!