Posted: 12/14/05 - 01:00 Post subject: tanning beds
Hello! I am 17 years old girl and I love when I get tanned. I think this look is just perfect for me, and I tend to “wear” it all year long, so I am using tanning beds. The problem is that everybody keeps criticizing me and telling me that tanning beds are dangerous and may contribute to skin cancer. Is there anybody who can tell me the truth about this? Thank you in advance!
What your friends and family are telling you is true. tanning beds function by delivering ultraviolet radiation (UV) to the skin, just like sun does. Tanning outdoors is distinctly unhealthy, but it turned out that tanning beds may be even worse. tanning beds have longer wavelength and they penetrates much deeper so it hits the blood vessels and even a short exposure you can measure changes in the blood in terms of immune function. And it is true the these beds increase the risk of skin cancer. Most skin cancers are readily curable by surgery or radiation. But melanomas can also develop and they can be fatal.
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