Tanners quit hitting the bed

Chardonee Wright
Staff Writer
When will the strive for perfec¬tion be at a wit’s end? Long gone are the days when some women are content with their natural skin, hair, eyelashes, skin complexion and all of the other minor imperfections that we choose to find a solution too.
For starters, I am not a big fan of tanning. I have dark skin, but even so, I always thought that laying in a booth and allowing a sun lamp to radiate my skin sounds harmful enough. I know most women want that beautiful, even-toned skin complexion that glistens in the sun, but tanning is not the solution. There are harmful effects from lying in the booth.
Laws should restrict minors from going to tanning parlors and people should know of the health risks involved before you lay in the booth. Although no evidence shows that tanning at a younger age has more of an effect on skin than when someone is older, minors should not be allowed to use tanning booths at their freewill. I’ve been there.
I’ve wanted the tattoo at a young age, or to stay out past the time allotted by my mom. My mom wasn’t having that. She knew what was best for me, therefore enforced certain rules and regu¬lations that would restrict me from doing these things. The government needs to take a hint from my mom and enforce a law that would restrict minors ( most of whom probably do not know any better) from tanning.
Yes, I understand how a young girl may look at an ad or her favorite celebrity and want to duplicate their image down to the complexion. After all, we live in such an idolized society where celebri¬ties are treated like Gods. So, it should not come as a surprise that most young girls want that “it” look like their favorite celeb.
Lets take a few steps back and look at what really happens when someone goes to a tanning parlor. Ever heard of skin cancer? Well, maybe it is a term tan¬ners should become familiar with.
According to skinhelp.com, a site that gives a description about the dangers of tanning, skin cancer can develop from tanning.
Tanning is done using UV (ultravio¬let radiation). UV radiation comes in two different forms. These forms are UVB and UVA. UVB radiation is associated with radiation that can cause sunburn, while UVA radiation is associated with more penetrating and deeper problems for the skin. Both types of radiation can cause cellular and molecular dam¬age within the skin tissue. Tanning beds and sunlamps emit UVA rays that tan the body without causing sunburn. The damage can result in wrinkles, premature skin aging, skin cancer and a repression of the body’s immune system .
Hey minors…did you know that? Probably not. For these health reasons alone, restricting young teenagers from tanning is essential. Adults have freewill to do whatever they please, but if you can prevent a minor from causing this kind of unnecessary harm to their body, why not do so?
Sometimes we feel as though if we feel and look good, everything is alright. Yet, the effects of UV radiation exposure takes time to appear, and by the time it does appear, a tanner will have devel¬oped melanoma or skin cancer. Sadly, the numbers of people who tan
continue to rise and there has been no reduction in tanning.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently announced that laws should also be enacted to ban minors from going to the tanning parlor. According to The Skin Cancer Founda¬tion, the vast majority of mutations found in melanoma are caused by ultraviolet radiation Ah-ha!
And where did we just learn ultraviolet radiation comes from?
The Skin Care Foundation also states that melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29, and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old.
With that being said, do not cause harm to your body when it can be prevented. Knowing the facts about tanning and the harmful effects it can have on your skin should be enough. Yet, some people do not get the picture and will continue to do so despite statistical research and studies. My advice to the government-make a law banning minors from tanning. And to you addictive tanners or beginners – STOP IT.