The Risk of Teen Tanning: Even Sunbathing In Tanning Beds Can Cause Deadly Skin Cancer
It’s prom season, which means skimpy clothing and social occasions can entice teens to turn to tanning beds to create that burnished head-to-toe glow.
“You wouldn’t stand naked a few feet from the sun, yet that is essentially what you are doing in a tanning bed,” said Dr. Julie Moore, department of dermatology, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park. “Tanning beds are just as dangerous as outdoor sunbathing when it comes to the potential for skin cancer.”
Women ages 18 to 25 are the fastest-growing group for the new diagnosis of skin cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Why?
“At this age, women prioritize their appearances and they feel they are invincible. Wrinkles, age spots and leathery skin have not yet happened to them,” Moore said. Bare arms, shoulders and legs can be safely bronzed using self-tanning creams and lotions, she added.
“Gone are the days when your skin turned orange. There are many excellent brands at the drugstore today,” Moore said. “I use self-tanning lotion found over-the-counter year ‘round.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than one-third of all youth take the proper steps to protect their skin from excessive exposure to the sun. Childhood sunburns more than doubles the chances of developing a melanoma later in life. “Soccer, baseball, tennis, swimming - kids of all ages participate in all kinds of outdoor activities. They need to use sun protection, even if they are just out skateboarding or talking with their friends in the yard,” Moore said.
Here are Moore’s five favorite tips for protecting against skin cancer:
1. During your next hair, pedicure or massage appointment, ask if there are any unusual moles or skin lesions. “Self-checking in certain areas is very difficult - don’t hesitate to enlist the aid of those around you to monitor your skin’s health,” Moore said.
2. Create a map of your skin and note any changes. “Draw an outline of a body, front and back, and note on the diagram where you have moles or spots,” Moore said. Include comments such as the size, shape and color. “After bathing, when you towel off and apply lotion is a good time to get in the habit of performing self-checks,” she said. Use a hand-held mirror to view between toes and the bottoms of your feet and back.
3. Know your A, B, C, D and E’s: A-Asymmetrical, B-Border, C-Color, D-Diameter and E-Evolving.
4. Slip, slap and slop. Slip on a long-sleeved shirt or pants. Slap on a cap or hat plus sunglasses. Slop on sunscreen. “Use a shot-glass-sized portion of lotion with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher,” Moore said. Buy products that offer UVA and UVB protection, which should include ingredients such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, avobenzone and oxybenzone.
5. Use self-tanning creams and lotions to get that sun-kissed glow. “Don’t risk your life for the prom,” Moore said. “Wrinkles, sun spots and leathery skin are not a happy souvenir of laying out or tanning beds, especially when you can get the same tanning effect from a bottle.”
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
