We think of summer fun and we’re reminded to think of safe sun exposure.  But what about when winter comes?  Too many of us — either in pursuit of SAD relief via a warm-weather getaway, or misguided goals of maintaining a tan — don’t stay conscious of skin protection year round. And skin cancers are increasing, especially among young women.

As we noted in a previous post about tanning bed bans for teens in England, there is real danger from even “artificial sun”…and with more research findings exposed recently, it’s even worse than we thought.

Let’s face facts:

• Nearly 30 million people tan indoors in the US, every year. And more than one-third are teens.
• 71% of salon tanners are girls ages 16 to 29.
• And let’s connect the dots: The American Academy of Dermatology lists melanoma as the second most common cancer in women 20 to 29 years old.

Now here is the scariest stat of all according to Peter Boyle, MD, Director of IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer):

“the link between youthful sunbed tanning and melanoma was “prominent and consistent” – a 75 percent increase in risk of melanoma among those who first used sunbeds in their twenties or teen years.”

Though rates of squamous cell or basal cell carcinomas are not quite as significant, possibly because of limited data, we’re nonetheless talking a 75% increase in risk in the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Our National Institute of Health was far ahead of the IARC, part of the World Health Organization, in determining sunlamps and sunbeds to be known carcinogens.  In 2002 they specifically included UVA, UVB and UVC as “anticipated to be human carcinogens.”  Yet, it is always good to have further awareness and validation on a global scale. This year IARC’s conclusions, listed in an excellent update on the FDA site, have led them to also move tanning beds from “probably carcinogenic to humans” into the highest cancer risk category: “carcinogenic to humans.”

This has helped pave the way for banning indoor tanning by teens.  As a matter of fact, our hat is ON (a little skin cancer prevention humor) to the people of MD who have listened to their MDs.  On November 12^th, 2009, Howard County, MD became the FIRST IN THE NATION to ban those under 18 from using indoor tanning devices!

Remember, all exposure to UV radiation-whether from the sun, or from artificial sources such as sunlamps used in tanning beds, increases the risk of developing skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  The Skin Cancer Foundation says that:

“One blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person’s chances of developing the deadliest form of skin cancer later in life.”

Do you think we should ban access to tanning salons by those under 18?  The statistics are continuing to pour in, but many salons still don’t abide by rules or recommendations of limiting visits for their customers by either age or frequency.

So, just say no.  And monitor your kids’ skin tone!