Melanoma Madness: Tanning Beds
I'd kind of forgotten about tanning salons and tanning beds in writing these posts on skin cancer, since I've never gone to a tanning salon.
And with my skin, I shouldn't.
But a reader in Australia reminded me about the hazards of tanning salons, and sent me a link to a story in The Age.
According to the article, someone like me with fair skin is not allowed to use a tanning salon under the voluntary code now in effect in Victoria, the state that includes Melbourne. In other words, employees are supposed to turn me and the rest of my pale, freckled tribe away and refuse to let us use the facilities.
The article doesn't discuss compliance rates--how many folks at high risk for melanoma are slipping through the doors and into the tanning beds?
However, Victoria's Cancer Council wants more regulation of the industry and for the voluntary code to become mandatory.
The article also reports some scary statistics, including research that estimates that regular use of a tanning salon can increase melanoma rates by up to 75 percent. It also says dermatologists are reporting cases of melanoma clearly linked to tanning salons.
Somehow I don't think the Tanning Tribe is going to be swayed by this information. It's not that people are stupid, but maybe they are in denial, and don't think it can happen to them?
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