Is being perpetually tan high up in your agenda when it comes to looking good? If you live in a country with a temperate climate, do you frequent solariums or artificial tanning centers? If so, you might want to think twice – even thrice – about doing that. According to a team of researchers from Australia, visits to a solarium can cause skin cancer. Reuters reports specific figures:
Using a solarium to gain a suntan increases the risk of developing skin cancer by 98 percent if you are under the age of 35, with one visit heightening the chance of developing a melanoma by 22 percent.
I would say that 98 percent pretty much guarantees that you will develop skin cancer if you are under 35 and regularly visit a solarium to get that bronze glow! The study does not specify differences when it comes to gender. So whether you are male or female, if you want to maintain a healthy tan, it is preferable to get it naturally – at the beach or in your backyard, at certain times of the day. Needless to say, before you do that, you need to cover yourself up with high protection sunblock and tanning lotion. This will not stop you from getting a tan but it can spell the difference between life and death.
On another note, how about not going too much out of your way to get a tan? Not that I am putting down the idea but if you were born with fair skin, there’s nothing much you can really do about it. It would be better to focus on other aspects of your body and keep healthy.
Originally posted on January 15, 2008 @ 9:35 pm