BellaSugar

Tanning Before 30 Triples Skin Cancer Risk

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:55 -0700

Tanned golden skin is seen as beautiful and healthy, so many fair-skinned ladies and gents use indoor tanning beds to get a quick sun-kissed glow. We've all heard that UV exposure from this fake sun can lead to skin cancer, but now new research has identified tanning as even more dangerous than first thought. International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, saying they are as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas. They add that anyone who's started toasting at the electric beach before the age of 30 has increased their risk for skin cancer by 75 percent. Tanning bed users are also at risk for eye cancer.

Previously, skin cancer rates were highest in people over 75, but now doctors are seeing more and more cases in women in their 20s. It's not just tanning beds you have to worry about, it's UV radiation from the sun too. So if you want a tan, go for bronzers, sunless self-tanning lotion, or spray tans. They'll give you the glow without the risk. If you do enjoy being out in the Summer sun, just protect yourself with sunscreen.

Beauty Byte: Tanning Beds Are a Confirmed Carcinogen

BellaSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:30:36 -0700

If you didn't believe me about the risk of tanning beds before, please stop and read this now. Assessments by World Health Organization oncologists (cancer specialists) have concluded what we've suspected for years - that the UV light used in artificial tanning beds is indeed a carcinogen, one at the same grade of toxicity as gamma radiation and plutonium. This means that instead of saying that the radiation from a tanning bed might cause cancer, now we know that it undoubtedly will. Exposure to a tanning bed beginning before the age of 30 increases your risk of skin cancer by a whopping 75 percent, and melanoma is one of the most painful, deadly forms of cancer. So, really: don't expose yourself to such a big risk. For more information on this story, read the Review of Human Carcinogens-Part D: Radiation just published on The Lancet's Oncology journal website.

Are Base Tans Healthy?

FitSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

It's a common belief that before heading to the beach or the tropics, you should take a trip to the tanning salon to get a base tan. Even though it seems like a good idea to prepare your skin for sun exposure by hitting the electric beach, according to the Mayo Clinic, there's no proof that a few sessions at the tanning salon will prevent an outdoor sunburn. Keep in mind that ultraviolet light, whether from the sun or a sunlamp, damages your skin. Any change in the color of your skin is a sign of damage from UV radiation. Repeated exposure increases the risk of premature skin aging and skin cancer.

So skip the tanning trips and once you head to warmer climates, be sure to protect your skin with a broad spectrum sunscreen, which will protect you against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply it at least 30 minutes before you head outside, and reapply it every two hours.

Computer Tan Lets You Bake at Your Desk

BellaSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:00:03 -0700

Ever wanted to get a tan while punching numbers at your desk? Babyassface tipped me off to this website called Computer Tan. The concept is pretty strange: They claim that their technology converts the electrical impulses of your LCD monitor into ultraviolet rays that then create a tan in your skin. (A test makes sure that the amount of exposure is calibrated to match your skin tone.)

Computer Tan's officials say that using their tanning technology is safer than baking in the sun or using a tanning bed. They claim the ability to strip the harmful parts of UV exposure, therefore preventing damage to the skin. A base tan takes four to five sessions within a 10-day period to develop, and it lasts for one to two weeks. You know I always say there's no such thing as a safe tan - and perhaps the Computer Tan people feel the same way - but if you're willing to give it a go, the company offers a free five-minute trial.

Should States Ban Tanning Beds For Teens?

BellaSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 06:00:46 -0700

I hate to sound like a broken record, but tanning is so bad for you. Put aside the accelerated signs of aging, which are no trip to the beach. (Ha.) Not only does UV exposure create uneven skin tone and wrinkles, it also can cause melanoma.

That's what happened to Miss Florida Teen USA Kayla Collier. At age 15, she began visiting tanning salons, and within a year, she was diagnosed with skin cancer. She believes that tanning was a factor in her illness. Now cancer-free, she's campaigning for a bill that would ban tanning-bed use by people younger than 16. "I know teenagers that go every day, every week, twice a day sometimes to tanning beds," she told lawmakers. "I do believe that it did play a part in my skin cancer."

Florida isn't the only state grappling with this issue; Texas and Vermont are also considering restrictions on teen tanning. Supporters say that anything that protects young teenagers from melanoma is a good thing; opponents say that states shouldn't meddle in their biz-a-ness. Where do you stand?

Source

Guess Who Said It?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:30:01 -0700

Can you guess which woman from Dancing With the Stars said this about going tanning?

"It makes me look toned and helps me feel less naked."

Definition: Dihydroxyacetone (DHA)

BellaSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:00:11 -0700

Simply put, dihydroxyacetone is the active ingredient used to make self-tanners work. Discovered to have skin darkening properties in the 1920s by a German scientist, DHA is typically derived from plant sources, such as beets or sugar cane.

DHA works by interacting with the amino acids of your dead skin cells, resulting in a brownish-tan hue. The color sticks around for about three to ten days, depending on how long it takes for your skin cells to shed.

The first commercial self-tanning product was released in 1960 from Coppertone, called Quick Tan or QT. The biggest problem with early formulations? Orange, streaky results. Nowadays you can get your own dose of DHA in many sun-free ways: creams, sprays, wipes, and even mousses - streak and orange free.

How-To: Hide a Sunglass Tan

BellaSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:10 -0700

As much as I try to protect myself from the sun's harmful rays, I sometimes end up with the telltale white streaks on my temples of the sunglass tan. And with the oversize shades trend still going strong, the area around the brows and dark circles - er, orbital area - also can begin to look a whiter shade of pale. Read on for some quick fixes - and be glad you weren't wearing shutter shades.

View Slideshow ›

Reality Check: Base Tans Are Not a Good Idea

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Feeling good because you've gotten your base tan for the summer? You may want to think again.

As it turns out, the notion of a base tan has no real medical value. I know it holds a convincing argument: get a base now so that you don't burn later. Heck I've definitely fallen for it for a few Summers myself; it seems like the healthy thing to do. The truth is that there is nothing healthy about a tan - no matter how you get it (well, unless it came from a bottle). A recent editorial piece on MSNBC tells it like it is when it comes to base tanning and brings us back down to reality. My favorite quote is the following:

A tan, Dr. William James, a professor of dermatology at Penn., said, represents nothing more than damage to the skin. It is the body trying to defend itself against an environmental hazard - too much UV light. In other words, indoor tanning gets you ready for the beach in the same way that getting scalded in a hot tub gets you ready to be boiled alive.

Gross, eh? Trust me, I like to look tan as much as the next person. I have inner dialogs with myself about it every time I hit the beach. But then I hear quotes like this from dermatologists and it reminds me that a tan, while popular by fashion industry standards, is really nothing more than damaged skin. And to me, nothing is cool about damaging the largest organ in my body. What do you guys think? Are you still going to be basing?

Source

Indoor Tanning Is Out

FitSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

I've already talked to you about how harmful it is to use a tanning bed to get a base tan before the summer (or ever for that matter), but I'm not the only one trying to get the message out. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has just launched a series of Public Service Announcements with the motto, "Indoor tanning is out."

These PSAs are trying to make people aware that just like the sun, the rays from tanning beds also cause melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Current research shows that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes, and that UV rays are a known cause. Remember that UV rays from tanning beds can be as much as 15 times higher than midday sun. Choosing not to use tanning beds is a great way to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

Many people go tanning because they think that darkened skin looks better. If vanity is inspiring people to lie in tanning beds every week, maybe it can prevent them from stopping too. Hopefully these PSAs will remind people that tanning not only causes deadly skin cancer, but it also causes premature aging, wrinkles, and sun spots. If people are tanning to look healthier, that plan is going to backfire majorly in the future.

Want to see their serious TV ad about the dangers of tanning beds? Then read more

Here's the TV ad you can expect to see running through the entire month of May, which is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month.

Do you think these ads are a good idea, or are they just reiterating the facts that most people already know but choose to ignore?