Tanning is becoming popular again, especially among young adults, despite the risks of skin cancer. Nichole Sims started using a tanning bed at 15 and was diagnosed with melanoma eight years later.
Risks of Tanning Beds
Experts are concerned about the resurgence in tanning among young adults, with some influencers encouraging the use of tanning beds. The World Health Organization has classified tanning beds as a cancer-causing agent, similar to tobacco and asbestos.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 100,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026, and about 8,500 people are expected to die from melanoma. Dr. Pedram Gerami and his team at Northwestern University’s medical school found that tanning bed users have nearly three times the risk of developing melanoma as non-users.
Education and Prevention
Young adults are less informed about sun protection and more likely to believe misconceptions about tanning. Sherry Pagoto, a psychologist and professor at the University of Connecticut, suggests that parents can emphasize the physical appearance benefits of safe sun practices, such as avoiding leathery or wrinkly skin.
Parents can also model safe behavior and make sunscreen easily accessible. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that parents take their teens to a dermatologist to take a UV photo that shows skin damage not yet visible to the naked eye.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
