Tanning Beds May Cause Skin Cancer Especially Among Teenage Girls

Years ago when people didn't understand that the sun was a big hot ball of gas, they worshiped it as a god. For some reason the sun was thought of as being male while the moon was female. In the Tom Robbins book "Another Roadside Attraction" he explains that cigarette smokers are actually fire worshipers. They sacrifice their lungs to the god of fire.

I think that people who spend too much time in the sun or in tanning booths are sun worshipers. They sacrifice their skin to the sun god. A golden tan may be thought of as a sign of beauty and good health when you are younger, but all it does eventually is make you look old and wrinkled. Just look at the back of the neck of a farmer.

I have a friend that I used to have a part-time landscaping business with. We worked on our days off. It was a good form of exercise, but I hated working outside in the hot St. Louis summers. Several times I almost passed out from the heat. My friend, on the other hand, loved the sun. While I was slathering on the sun screen, he was putting on tan intensifier that actually made it worse.

After a while he started to develop keloids. These are lumps of scar tissue that forms on the skin after it is damaged. He had to go to a doctor to have them removed. He's lucky that he didn't develop skin cancer.

A little sun is good for you. It helps your body develop vitamin D. And vitamin D has become the "in" vitamin as of late. It has been shown to help the immune system and ward off certain types of cancer. But it is also available in supplements. Too much sun can be very bad. There are several types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, accounting for about 90% of all cases. It begins as a small pearly colored lump and then gradually darkens. Its shape is not uniform, like a mole. It rarely spreads and is not usually fatal.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer of the squamous cells. Squamous cells can be found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, as well as other parts of the body. It begins as a patch of red bumps and is often accompanied by sun damaged, mottled skin.

Melanoma is a cancer of the melanocytes. These are the cells that produce melanin, which is why we have skin color. It is the deadliest of all of the skin cancers though it is also the rarest. It is responsible for most of the deaths from skin cancer. Melanomas are variegated in color and usually form on an existing mole. That's why you should get frequent examinations if you have a lot of moles or notice one getting bigger or changing in shape.

Skin cancer is on the rise, especially among teenage girls. Some states, like Missouri and Illinois are considering laws to limit teens access to tanning beds. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch:

"Concerned about the increasing number of skin cancer cases in young women '" the indoor tanning industry's biggest consumers '" some lawmakers in Missouri and Illinois are looking to restrict teens' access to tanning beds."

Maybe tanning beds will join the list of no-nos such as trans fats and cigarette smoking. And besides, I thought that pale skin was "in" again. Just look at the popularity of vampire movies. Well, maybe it's not good to be that pale.

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/fitness/article_db37e995-d8b8-55d4-b6a7-eb96b152ade9.html