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Myth #1 :: Any sun exposure will cause skin cancer.
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Reality
Yes, ultraviolet light is believed to be linked to skin cancer. But no one
understands exactly HOW it is linked. And since human beings NEED
ultraviolet light to survive and thrive, categorical statements made about
sun exposure should be scrutinized. Clearly, heredity, diet and repeated
sunburn at an early age are probably the biggest risk factors for skin
cancer. Plus, people with type 1 skin, those who can't develop a tan, have
the highest incidence of skin cancer. This supports the logic that
sunburn, not mere sun exposure, is the culprit behind skin cancer.
Consider that a 1995 study in the International Journal of Cancer reported
that individuals who followed a low-fat diet had 90 percent fewer skin
cancers. It's clear that sun exposure is not the only factor in this
disease and may not even be the main factor.
Myth #2 :: There is no such thing as a safe tan.
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Reality
Actually, you could say that it isn't safe to totally avoid the sun. The
benefits of regular sun exposure far outweigh the risks of overexposure,
which easily can be minimized by merely avoiding sunburn. Research shows
that regular, moderate sun exposure might actually decrease
your risk of getting breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancers as well
as osteoporosis or even Alzheimer's disease. If you're a woman, you are 69
times more likely to die of breast cancer than skin cancer. And the
vitamin D you receive from ultraviolet light, which cannot be replaced in
your diet, may inhibit the formation of internal tumors, including breast
cancer.
Myth #3 :: But some dermatologists say tanning causes melanoma.
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Reality
The FDA in 1995 held a conference on melanoma. The agency concluded there
is no clear evidence to say tanning causes melanoma, the disease's
apparent link to ultraviolet light is still mysterious and unexplained.
What's more, many studies have shown that people who receive regular sun
exposure have less chance of getting melanoma skin cancer than those who
don't.
Myth #4 :: There is an epidemic of skin cancer in the world today.
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Reality
No, there isn't. Epidemics are events that happen suddenly and affect more
than half of a group of people. Skin cancer rates have been rising
steadily in the world since the early 1900s.
Myth #5 :: Skin cancer rates are rising because more people tan today
than did in years past.
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Reality
That kind of gross oversimplification is dangerous thinking. Actually,
skin cancer rates have risen steadily in the 1900s. And society spent less
time outdoors this century than in any previous century. Remember, most
people worked outdoors until the industrial revolution in the late 1800s.
If anything, the fact people do not receive regular sun exposure, which
makes them more susceptible to sunburn when they do go outdoors, may be
linked to the increase in skin cancer this century. Again, moderate
tanning has not been linked scientifically in any study as a cause
of skin cancer.
Myth #6 :: People catch AIDS or herpes from tanning beds.
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Reality
This is impossible. The HIV virus dies upon exposure to oxygen and would
not survive on a tanning bed. What's more, the U.S. Center for Disease
Control says the odds of contracting any virus from a tanning bed are
"extremely remote." Furthermore, every unit in our salon is sanitize
tanning equipment before every tanning session.
Myth #7 :: Indoor tanning is riskier than outdoor tanning.
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Reality
That's absolutely false. Indoor tanning clients are exposed to a
scientifically controlled dosage of ultraviolet light carefully formulated
to tan you with a minimal risk of sunburn. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has established exposure times for tanning units,
guidelines that are clearly marked on each machine. That kind of control
is virtually impossible outdoors, where variables such as seasonality,
time of day, location, geography, weather conditions, altitude and the
Earth's thinning ozone layer make sunburn much more likely. Because
sunburn is the main risk factor for skin damage, it's actually smarter to
tan indoors.
Myth #8 :: I heard about a woman who fried her internal organs from too
much tanning.
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Reality
"The Legend of the Roasted Tanner" is a farce. Ultraviolet light, whether
from the sun or from a tanning unit, does not penetrate past your skin. It
is impossible to "fry" any internal organs in a tanning bed. This myth is
what is commonly referred to as an urban legend, perpetuated by ignorance
of ultraviolet light and the tanning process.
Myth #9 :: I hear that tanning isn't as popular as it used to be.
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Reality
Not true. More than 28 million Americans tan indoors, a number that
increases steadily year after year. More and more people are tanning for
the control, convenience, speed and pure enjoyment of tanning in a salon.
Myth #10 :: Indoor tanning is like a cigarette for your skin.
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Reality
This is a ludicrous comparison. Smoking subjects your lungs to an
unnatural compounds that your body is not designed to process. Tanning is
your body's natural reaction to sunlight. Your body is designed to tan to
help prevent sunburn. Your body is not designed to process cigarette
smoke. Incidentally, smokers' risk of contracting lung cancer is hundreds
of times higher than non-smokers' risk. On the other hand, in most studies
conducted to date, indoor tanners and non-tanners have no statistically
different risk of contracting skin cancer.
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