The High Cost of Tanning
Written by At The Crossroads, Posted on
Young adults hitting the tanning beds may want to rethink their habits.
Teens who regularly use tanning beds and are out in the sun may wish to rethink their habits. This is due to a significant increase in the number of young adults being diagnosed with skin cancer. While young people may think that they are invincible, melanoma is a dangerous form of skin cancer that can strike at any age.
Compared to just 40 years ago, doctors say they now have more patients in their teens and 20s than they used to. While there may be a variety of suspects, one of the most viable are tanning beds. Although tanning salons may advertise otherwise, research proves that the cumulative damage caused by UV radiation can lead to premature skin aging (such as wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots and more), but more lethally, skin cancer.
In Wisconsin, tanning beds are so popular among young people that the state government is considering banning children from using them. Young people are more likely to ignore warnings about tanning beds due to their feelings “invincible” but also because they see it as a low cost for the benefits of “looks.” A dangerous practice, tanning beds can also point out insecurities in young people who try to compensate for them by altering their skin color to become darker.
