Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Medical Dictionary

Find us on:

WebMD Home

Skin and Sun

News and info about your skin, your health, and the effects of too much sun.

Announcements

WebMD Privacy Policy Changes Coming -- Please Read!

Is Tanorexia Real?

Resources

Sort by:

National Cancer Institute

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/skin

Definition of skin cancer : Cancer that forms in the tissues of the skin. There are several types of skin...

Posted by jennymaur

Was this Helpful?

3 of 7 found this Resource helpful

0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:National Cancer Institute Definition of skin cancer : Cancer that forms in the tissues of the skin. There are several types of skin...

Year-round tans linked to rise in deadly melanoma ...

http://forums.webmd.com/3/skin-and-sun/resource/?9

A hundred years ago, it wasn't fashionable to sport a suntan. In fact, only laborers, farmers and fishermen...

Posted by jennymaur

http://forums.webmd.com/3/skin-and-sun/resource/?9

A hundred years ago, it wasn't fashionable to sport a suntan. In fact, only laborers, farmers and fishermen who worked long hours outdoors had tans.

Well-to-do women took pride in porcelain-white, unspotted skin by protecting themselves with parasols, gloves and large hats.

That all changed in the 1920s when fashion icon Coco Chanel showed her new clothing designs on tanned models. A golden tan soon became a status symbol of travel, leisure and good health.

For decades, sun worshipers everywhere hit the beaches or their back yards to work on their suntans. Then, in the early 1980s, the introduction of tanning beds changed suntanning from a summertime ritual to a year-round obsession for millions of Americans.

Unfortunately, as more and more Americans pursue a perpetual tan, dermatologists across the United States and right here in the south suburbs have begun noticing a significant rise in skin cancer, especially among young women.

Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, results in more than 8,000 deaths a year, according to the National Cancer Institute, and continues to rise. Melanoma is the most common cancer among young people. But while its incidence among men has remained steady for the last 20 years, it has doubled for women - and many of these cases result from indoor suntanning.

Since 1992, the indoor tanning industry has grown fivefold. During that same period, melanoma rates have increased by 2 percent in the general population, and skin cancer overall has become the most common form of cancer for Americans ages 25 to 29, a group that traditionally shows very low cancer rates.

Tanning and cancer go together

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ultraviolet radiation is a proven human carcinogen - meaning it causes cancer.
On an average day, more than one million Americans use tanning salons - 71 percent of them girls and women ages 16 to 29. What's more, frequent users of today's new high-pressure sunlamps receive as much as 12 times the annual dose of ultraviolet radiation as they would receive from sun exposure.

First exposure to tanning beds in youth increases melanoma risk by 75 percent. People who use tanning beds are 2 1 / 2 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1 1 / 2 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

What's more, frequent tanning bed users proved three times more likely to develop melanoma than non-users, according to research published online May 27 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

You should know that the American Academy of Dermatology opposes indoor tanning and supports a ban on the production and sale of indoor tanning equipment for non-medical purposes.

Indoor or out: Tanning is dangerous

Indoor and outdoor tanning are dangerous because the same ultraviolet radiation that provokes a tan also damages DNA and can cause errors in cell growth - leading to the development of skin cancers such as melanoma. Darkened skin from tanning is actually the body's response to that damage.

Recently, researchers from Wake Forest University suggested that the body produces an endorphin-like response of pleasure and happiness from tanning and ultraviolet radiation - creating a type of "high." And like any high, tanning - especially indoor tanning - can become addictive.

No matter what you may hear at tanning salons, the cumulative damage caused by UV radiation can lead to premature skin aging such as wrinkles, lax skin, brown spots and, more importantly, skin cancer.View Thread

Posted by jennymaur

Was this Helpful?

2 of 8 found this Resource helpful

0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Year-round tans linked to rise in deadly melanoma skin cancers A hundred years ago, it wasn't fashionable to sport a suntan. In fact, only laborers, farmers and fishermen...

Total Body Tan is a Total Myth, Study Finds

http://www.livescience.com/health/consistent-body-tan-100...

Those who sunbathe in the buff in hopes of achieving the perfect all-around tan are soaking up rays in vain,...

Posted by jennymaur

http://www.livescience.com/health/consistent-body-tan-100...

Those who sunbathe in the buff in hopes of achieving the perfect all-around tan are soaking up rays in vain, a new study suggests.
A consistent tan all over the body is impossible to attain, because some areas are more resistant to tanning than others, the researchers say.
The findings show that the buttock doesn't tan as easily as other body parts, and when the butt does gets red from the sun, it's less likely than other body regions to turn into a tan. It was also found that people with no freckles tan more easily than those with freckling.

Scientists carried out the study in an effort to figure out why different types of skin cancer tend to be found in different parts of the body , given that they are all caused by exposure to sunshine. [Read "Why Skin Cancer Is on the Rise ">

"One of the real puzzles about melanoma is why the numbers of tumors differ so much depending on body site," said Jonathan Rees, a professor of dermatology at the University of Edinburgh. "Our work shows that in one sense we are all made up of different units of skin, which respond differently to sunshine, and which all may afford different degrees of protection against the harmful effects of sunshine."
The work represents the first time that the depth of a person's tan, and not just skin redness, has been quantified.

The sun emits two types of ultraviolet, or UV, radiation : UVA and UVB. The UVB rays are what cause sunburns.

Rees and his colleagues analyzed the skin of about 100 volunteers, who were exposed to six doses of UVB radiation on two areas of their bodies — the back and buttock using tanning booths .

The volunteers were given an injection to minimize the rush of blood that naturally occurs after the skin is exposed to sunlight within the first 24 hours.

Researchers say this redness is often confused with the start of tanning, but in fact is the skin's signal that it has been damaged.
After seven days, the volunteers' skin was analyzed to find what color remained after the redness had died down.

This color — recognized as a suntan — comes from the skin's production of melanin, a defense that keeps the skin from absorbing too much harmful UVB radiation.

The results are published in the July issue of the journal Experimental Dermatology.View Thread

Posted by jennymaur

Was this Helpful?

6 of 9 found this Resource helpful

0 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Total Body Tan is a Total Myth, Study Finds Those who sunbathe in the buff in hopes of achieving the perfect all-around tan are soaking up rays in vain,...

See Related Women's Health Communities

See All Communities

Women's Health Newsletter

Find out what women really need.

Popular Discussions

Start a Discussion | See All

Helpful Tips

Be the first to post a Tip!

Post a Tip

Helpful Resources

Total Body Tan is a Total Myth...

National Cancer Institute

Year-round tans linked to rise...

Post a Resource | See All

Related Drug Reviews

Drug Name User Reviews

Report Problems to the
Food and Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Other Member Communities

Dieting Club: 10 - 25 Lbs Member Community Share Your Tips and Support!
Caregiving Member Community The Support and Understanding You Need!
Parenting Friends Talking Member Community Get Support from Members Like You!

The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.

Do not consider WebMD User-generated content as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

In-depth coverage:

Is Your Psoriasis Treatment on Target?|Your Guide to a Healthy Mouth|Rheumatoid Arthritis Health Check| Teen Girls and Puberty|Diabetes and Your Body

Find us on:

URAC: Accredited Health Web Site

HonCode: Health on the Net Foundation

First Aid|WebMD the Magazine|WebMD Health Record|WebMD Mobile|Newsletters

WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.

Find us on:

Skin and Sun

See All

Preferences

My Communities

My Discussions

My Email Digests

Announcements

WebMD Privacy Policy Changes Coming -- Please Read!

Resources

See Related Women's Health Communities

Women's Health Newsletter

Popular Discussions

Helpful Tips

Helpful Resources

Related News

Related Drug Reviews

Report Problems to the
Food and Drug Administration

Other Member Communities

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

In-depth coverage:

Find us on:

Find us on:

Skin and Sun

See All

Preferences

My Communities

My Discussions

My Email Digests

Announcements

WebMD Privacy Policy Changes Coming -- Please Read!

Resources

See Related Women's Health Communities

Women's Health Newsletter

Popular Discussions

Helpful Tips

Helpful Resources

Related News

Related Drug Reviews

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

Other Member Communities

More Related Communities

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

In-depth coverage:

Find us on:

Report Problems to the
Food and Drug Administration