TAN: Should minors stay banned from using dangerous tanning beds?
By Kate Doak, Staff Writer
Melanoma, corneal infections, DNA mutations and cataracts: these are only some of the dangers of indoor tanning. Because of these risks, a new California law went into effect this past January banning minors from using tanning beds in tanning salons and spas. Unfortunately, not everyone is so concerned about the health of youth.
The Indoor Tanning Association, an organization that promotes indoor tanning, its “health benefits” and the salons and spas that provide it, is currently trying to gain enough support and cause enough disturbance in order to have the law revoked. So, the question is, should minors be allowed to use tanning beds? No. Many gruesome and deadly side effects can accompany a golden tan, such as those previously mentioned.
Because of these side effects, 30 states since the late 1990s passed laws either restricting use of tanning beds or banning it completely for minors. Tanning, especially with tanning beds, can have a major impact on teenagers specifically. Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson, M.D. and Editor-in-Chief of Harvard Women’s Health Watch, claims that both natural sunlight and artificial light from tanning beds can cause health problems, but tanning beds pose a larger threat. “Tanning beds use fluorescent bulbs that emit mostly UVA (Long-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) rays that enter the skin more deeply than UVB rays, cause premature aging of the skin and are believed to cause skin cancer), with smaller doses of UVB (Medium-wavelength “burning rays” of the sun that are the main cause of sunburn. They are considered the main cause of basal and squamous-cell carcinoma and a significant cause of melanoma),” Robb-Nicholson said. “The UVA radiation is up to three times more intense than the UVA in natural sunlight.”
The light from the bulbs used for tanning beds causes more damage in less time than regular sunlight, making it even more dangerous and more likely to cause major health problems. In fact, a study in 2007 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that those who begin using tanning beds before the age of 35 are 75 percent more likely to develop melanoma. Yet, despite all these dangers, the use of tanning beds is on the rise; they are used by almost 30 million people per year, the majority of whom are girls and women between 16 and 49 years old.
Teens are targeted by expressions of beauty and are more susceptible to UVA damage, which makes the dangers of tanning even more serious. Bridget Huber, a print and radio reporter of science, food and public health with a Masters in journalism and public health from UC Berkeley, claims that teens have the biggest problem when it comes to indoor tanning. “[…] when you look at how popular tanning is among teens, and you think about how focused teens can be on looks and how hard it can be for them to think about consequences, that’s pretty problematic,” Huber said. With all the developmental and emotional changes that teenagers go through, beauty and acceptance are extremely important and, unfortunately, a golden brown tan is one of the most popular forms of beauty and appearances of health.
The desire to be attractive causes more young teens (most commonly girls) to look towards artificial beauty options. Dr. Cara Natterson, a Harvard University and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine graduate and a respected pediatrician, says that parents need to keep their children away from tanning salons. “Now, more than ever, people need to understand the risks of UV exposure,” Natterson said. “And in my opinion, parents should keep their kids out of tanning salons.” Tanning beds pose a serious threat to teens and should be used cautiously, if at all.
Fellow students and teens typically agree. A poll of 166 students concluded that 40 percent of students think that tanning beds should either be regulated for teens or banned completely. While many students know about the dangers of tanning, whether natural or not, tanning is still a popular pasttime for youth. When it comes to your health, don’t take a chance. Say no to tanning, and say no to the Indoor Tanning Association.