Tanning 101 — why we tan and the connection to skin cancer
Tanning is the body’s natural response to UV exposure. So why then, if it’s natural, is it so dangerous? The answer lies in why our skin tans in the first place.
Tanning is the body’s natural response to UV exposure. So why then, if it’s natural, is it so dangerous? The answer lies in why our skin tans in the first place.
By now, most of us must have heard that tanning is not good for our health, as the UV rays emitted from tanning beds penetrate our skin, damaging it deeply. What is the exact connection between indoor tanning and skin cancer? Let’s have a look at how these two are linked.
These days we all know about the dangers of sun exposure – it can lead to skin damage, skin cancer, and melanoma. But not so long ago it was advised to get a “healthy” tan and to soak up the sun to stay looking and feeling good. This is further complicated by the latest news that many of us are not getting enough vitamin D due to our habit of staying indoors. So what is the right advice and how much of a summer glow can we get before the benefits are outweighed by the risks- to tan or not to tan, that is the question.
New research from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug survey shows that students in Queensland still attempt to tan in the summer. It seems they are ignoring the fact that tanning has a direct impact on skin cancer risk. The outcome of the survey reveals that it is primarily girls as opposed to boys are still into tanning.
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