Improving My Skin
About Me
Improving My Skin

After I started working full time, I realized that the stress wasn't doing nice things to my skin. Instead of my typical glowing appearance, I was left with splotchy, uncomfortable, pimple-ridden skin. I didn't like how it looked or felt, which is why I decided to see about visiting a dermatologist. It was amazing to see how well he cared for me after I went. He felt my skin, gave me some advice on daily cleaning, and talked with me about which medications might help. I was absolutely blown away with how much of an improvement he helped me to achieve. This blog is all about the wonders of modern day dermatology.

Tags

Improving My Skin

Legislating Tanning Beds: Can It Help Prevent Skin Cancer?

Phillip Lucas

Skin cancer can affect anyone, but the number of young adults and even teenagers with skin cancer is ever increasing. Thanks to modern methods of treatment, skin cancer can be removed in most cases, but if left untreated, it can be deadly. When it comes to young people, there are several factors that can contribute to the problem, and tanning beds are certainly one of the main causes. Recent legislation has been considered in many states to help regulate the use of tanning beds for those under the age of eighteen and to provide better oversight of tanning salons.

Why The Law Is Being Put Into Place

Almost every case of skin cancer is due to too much exposure to UV rays, either from the sun or via artificial sources like tanning beds. Since so many young people want to achieve a freshly tanned appearance, more of them than ever are heading to the tanning booth before summer. This results in UV rays being sent directly into the dermis which can cause cancer to form quickly. The increased numbers of teenagers and young adults with skin cancer in recent years has become a cause for concern for parents and lawmakers.

What The Law Intends To Do

Melanoma is now the leading cause of cancer for people between the ages of 25 and 29. The new tanning bed law proposes that tanning salons are no longer allowed to let customers under the age of 18 use tanning beds to help prevent young people from being exposed to dangerous UV rays until they have reached adult age. For those over the age of 18, the FDA has proposed that they must sign a form acknowledging the risks associated with tanning beds. This form would need to be signed before the person's first tanning session and then again every six months afterwards. This form would help prompt people to understand the risks and even possibly reconsider using tanning beds.

Other Regulations Designed To Help

Aside from the new law preventing people under 18 from using tanning beds, some other measures are now being put into place that would require tanning salons to use new practices. Signs should be posted in prominent places that are easy to see and clearly alert people of the risks associated with tanning bed use. A "panic button" or emergency release is also now being added to tanning beds so people can easily exit them if they need to. For tanning equipment, any modifications made such as installing new high-strength bulbs or other major equipment changes must be permitted and verified by the FDA. While people will still use tanning beds to get a bronzed glow, educating users about the risks of skin cancer can help minimize the number of people suffering from this preventable disease. 

If you spend a lot of time in tanning beds or sunbathing on the beach, you could have skin cancer. If you think that is a possibility, do not hesitate to get skin cancer testing in a clinic near you.


Share