Tanning salon procedures lead to skin cancer

According to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, tanning salons are misleading their customers with the information they are providing about the risks of tanning procedures. The risks primarily include skin cancer. The Committee found out that there has been false information circulated to customers from the salons.

Generally, indoor tanning can trigger skin cancer especially when done more often because the ultraviolet rays (UV) released by it becomes too much than normal amount. HCEC discovered that 90 percent of salons which were investigated denied the linkage between skin cancer and tanning procedures as “merely a great myth” or “rumor.”

In addition, some salons that provide tanning services claimed that “it is actually beneficial to undergo indoor tanning as it can help prevent cancer.” The worst idea that HCEC found out is the claim that it can treat lupus and arthritis, help in weight loss, enhance immune system and prevent osteoporosis.

With these false details gathered by the Committee, people become more prone to acquiring skin cancer because people are more attracted to undergo indoor tanning procedure.

Remember tanning is one of the causes of skin cancer. The more a person is exposed to UV rays; the probability of acquiring the chronic illness is very high.

It is important that we become aware of this especially teenagers since they are the main target market of these salons.

If you have plans to apply the procedure, you must first know the amount of UV rays because there is only a certain amount that FDA approves. Although tanning bed is classified as Class 1 (safe medical equipment) by FDA, it is still essential that you are properly informed with the procedure in order to prevent skin cancer.

Statistics on the most common types of skin caner

The WHO or World Health Organization released an estimation which stated 65,169 people around the world die every year because of too much exposure to sun. According to the Organization, malignant caner of the skin is the main cause of high mortality rate.

According to American Academy of Dermatology, there are greater than 3.5 million skin cancer cases and 2 million people are diagnosed with this illness every year. The 2 most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell. However, people should not panic as these two can be easily treated when discovered early. Based on a latest study, there is a gradual increase number of men as well as women under the age bracket of 40 years old that are diagnosed with those types of skin cancer.

On the other hand, the most common type for young adults under the age bracket of 25 to 29 years old is melanoma. It has been rapidly growing since 1992 when the most affected age groups were late adults and young adults. Most of them were white Americans.

Within the age group of 15 to 29 years old, numbers of diagnosed women are greater as compared to men. AAD added that the most common body part where melanoma is likely to develop is on the trunk or torso. The organization believes that it could be the effect of risky tanning activities such as tanning bed exposure.

On the previous year, it was estimated that new melanoma cases reached 123,590, mostly women were affected. However, numbers of death in women were lower than men. Death in women was 3,040 while in men was 5,750.