Tanning Beds and Cancer

If you read my blog at all, you'll know that it's not very serious most of the time. However, this is one time I thought I would post a warning.

According to an article in Insurance Broadcasting, the International Journal of Cancer published an article about the relationship between tanning bed use before age 35 and skin cancer. Quoting the Working Group on artificial UV light and skin cancer of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), "Young adults should be discouraged from using indoor tanning equipment and restricted access to sunbeds by minors should be strongly considered."

The most disturbing statistics from the article says that "Men and women who ever used sunbeds were 15 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the researchers found, based on 19 studies they reviewed. A review of seven studies found that exposure to tanning beds before age 35 boosted melanoma risk by 75 percent."

75% more risk!! I mean, I know a lot of you young people think that having a golden bod is important, but do you really think it's worth the risk?

Good thing I'm old, flabby, and not worried about showing off my body...