Addicted to Tanning: Study Links Brain Changes to Tanorexia

Despite the well known negative effects of unprotected sun exposure (i.e. premature wrinkling, sun spots (liver spots), increased freckles, and even skin cancer), thousands of Americans flock to the tanning bed to gain the “healthy glow” they feel is key in looking trim and  vivacious.  According to statistics released by the Skin Cancer Foundation, nearly 120,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year. In addition to those startling statistics, previous studies have shown that those individuals under the age of 30 who regularly tan (at least ten times per year) are eight times more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who don’t; yet, the tanning industry is booming.  A study completed by University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center may have just figured out a key component to this seemingly vicious cycle of sun damage:  addiction.

UT Southwestern’s pilot study monitored the brain circulation of participants while tanning. The participants completed two tanning sessions–one that exposed them to regular ultra violet light and another that used special filters to block the damaging UV rays.  The study’s subjects were also administered a compound to measure blood flow to the brain and interviewed after their tanning sessions about how much they wanted to continue tanning. › Continue reading

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Enlighten Yourself – Dermatology Associates of Atlanta Debunks Sun Myths for Skin Cancer Awareness month!

Tags: dermatology associates of atlanta, freckles, melanoma, skin cancer, skin cancer awareness month, skin care, sun exposure, sun myths, sun safety, sunscreen, tanning bed, wrinkles

Senate Announces Proposed Tax on Indoor Tanning Salons

If you have been keeping up with the healthcare reform news, you have probably heard the criticism surrounding the proposed “Botax” or tax on elective cosmetic surgery procedures. But after much opposition and lobbying from pharmaceutical companies, the cosmetic surgery tax has been thrown out, and a new tax on tanning beds has been thrown in.
The new bill proposes a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning salons. This addition, plus a .9 percent increase in Medicare payroll tax for high earning households, is expected to generate about $86.8 billion dollars over a 6 year time span.
The former plan to tax cosmetic surgeries was highly opposed because it would be the first tax of its kind to place a levy on a medical service. A tax on tanning beds may be more widely accepted because it is known to cause harmful UV damage. However, like the “Botax” which was criticized for unfairly targeting middle class woman, the new tanning bed tax can also be opposed for this reason (as woman are by far the biggest consumers in the indoor tanning industry).
While we at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta may or may not agree with the proposed healthcare reform bill, we absolutely agree on the dangers of tanning bed use. While the harmful effects of tanning beds were long suspected, a study earlier this year confirmed the link between tanning beds and skin cancer. (Read more from a previous blog entry).
Safe sun exposure should be practiced and tanning beds avoided at all costs! If you have used tanning beds in the past, make sure to come into schedule an appointment with one of our experienced dermatologists to get your moles checked.
If a tan glow is what you desire, there are safer options, like spray tans and bronzing makeup which can be used. Remember to never sacrifice the health of your skin!

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Tanning Beds Deemed Definite Cause of Cancer

When you hear the words “arsenic” and “mustard gas”, you may think of chemical warfare or deadly poisons. Scientists have even gone on to label them “probable carcinogens”. These two items are also listed in the top cancer-risk category and recently scientists have added one more item to this category: tanning beds.

The World Health Organization wrapped up an analysis using cancer experts and 20 different studies. Their results found that if you start exposing yourself to tanning lamps before the age of 30, your risk of dangerous skin cancer increases by 75 percent! Equally disconcerting was a study that exposed mice to the UV rays found in tanning beds and resulted in a number of “worrying mutations” in cells.

What does this new classification mean, though? It labels tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as definite causes of cancer, right up there with cigarette smoking, hepatitis B, inhalation from chimney sweeping, and more.

With less and less possibilities to lay out at the pool or get a tan on a weekend vacation to the beach, people will begin turning to tanning beds to achieve their desired bronze glow.  Doctors are seeing more and more cases of skin cancer in young people and with the summer months slowly coming to a close, it is more important than ever to be reminded of the dangers of tanning beds.

This new information solidifies the importance of being proactive about your skin health. Always wear sunscreen and protective clothing and get your moles checked regularly by a dermatologist you trust. If a tan is something you really desire, there are safer options (like spray tans) that you should consider.  A tan is not worth the safety of your skin.

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Tags: dermatology, skin cancer, tanning bed, world health organization