Hailing from sunny California, being tan in the winter was never really a concern for me. If I was feeling a little pasty and vitamin D deficient I would wait until a mildly cold, but sunny, December afternoon and deal with the forty to fifty degree weather while attempting to tan in my backyard. However, after living on the east coast for a bit, I immediately noticed a difference in the amount of sunlight I was seeing on average.
And, as it got colder, I noticed more and more friends going tanning. I originally assumed this meant they were going to get spray tans, something I didn’t really understand but shrugged off. I soon figured out they actually meant going to a tanning bed. I was shocked. I’d never encountered anyone who used a tanning bed, had no clue how they worked and honestly didn’t realize people actually used them. I just knew they were really really bad for you. All that aside, as the weeks went by I felt rather pasty. And glum. And gray. And a little sad. But most importantly, needed some sun desperately. So I decided to try it. I went to the tanning salon and actually went in a tanning bed for seven whole minutes. It was surprisingly cheap, running only around $10 as opposed to $20 to $30 spray tans, and lasted around two weeks. However after looking into it more, I’m shocked that indoor tanning is even legal and appalled I actually contributed to the horrifying statistics.
Mid December the FDA actually proposed a new rule that would ban anyone under the age of 18 from using an indoor tanning bed. This differs from the current rules, in which a guardian can sign off on children under 18 using them. Why did the FDA propose to change this rule? Using a tanning bed increases your chance of melanoma by 74 percent, even after only using a tanning bed once. You may be wondering why, then, the FDA wouldn’t just want to release a statement on tanning overall. As opposed to traditional tanning outside on a beach (or in your backyard) with sunscreen on, indoor tanning has UV rays that are 10 to 15 times more intense than the sun, making it possible to get a tan in seven minutes. All this being said, 50 percent of college students are still using tanning beds.
I know how nice it can be to relax in the warmth for a few minutes but it's important to consider all aspects. Is it worth it to put yourself at risk for a lifetime just for a few days worth of tan?
Still convinced your youthfulness will all together make you invincible to cancer? Take a look. She’s 27, which is most likely less than 10 years older than you.
