Tanning Booths

[mystik]

I am very fair skinned, and have a phobia of tanning beds simply for the reason of skin cancer. Do you all have experience with tanning salons?

I have used the Mystic Tan, and got some decent results, but it doesn't last long at all on me, considering it exfoliates with your skin.

Do you all have any websites, or research documents from MDs that would help me get over my fear? Thanks in advance!

[Puddles]

Well, I'm fair but started using a tanning salon prior to a spring break cruise so I wouldn't burn on my trip. I loved the way the tanning beds gave me nice even color so I continued to go regularly for a little over a year, then just went off and on for a few more months.

One day I noticed a dark mole on my rib cage...I just figured I'd never seen it before because my tan had been darker but then the next day my husband pointed it out to me saying he never noticed it before either. We thought it was odd for both of us to notice it at the same time and he told me to stop tanning and have it checked out by a doc. I let a few months go by and didn't tan much. Then I finally made an appt. with a dermatologist because of that mole and one other (a cute Cindy Crawford kinda mole that I've had since I was a kid) which bled a few times when I scrubbed my face with a washcloth. The doctor stopped when he got to the new dark mole and said he wanted to send it in for biopsy and he removed the one on my face as well.

He asked about my sun exposure history and I told him I was burned a few times as a kid, but the mole of concern didn't get any sun until I started using a tanning bed. He said that if I wanted to make sure I came back to him often to have cancer taken care of that I should continue to use the tanning salon. Then he proceeded to tell me stories, not pretty ones, and he lectured me on sun/tanning bed exposure.

I got the results of my biopsies back last week and the new one is a bad mole (pre-cancerous with changing cells) and now I have to go for surgery where they cut deep into the tissue to extract it and the surrounding area before it turns into cancer. I also have 2 other moles that he's going to send in for biopsy and he's gonna take a closer look at others.


Long story short, using a tanning bed is as bad for you as going out in the sun! Especially for fair skinned and light eyed/light haired people who are at the greatest risk of developing skin cancer.

[hitmansb]

Agree with Puddles...UV light is UV light. That being said, tanning in an artificial environment can be a bit safer, only because the doses are measured. If you must tan just a little bit (and I mean a little!!!), go to a big salon that has lots of beds. They will most often keep a 'beginner' bed, one that has very weak bulbs so that fair-skinned people will not burn. Try and find a place that will sell you minutes rather than sessions, and start small. Think 5 minutes to start in the weakest bed they have, and start from there. If you do it right, you shouldn't be burned AT ALL after tanning. Gradually increase your exposure...by 1 minute per session, and never tan on consecutive days. Then, when you have a base tan, moisturize after every shower to keep it...get the most out of the fewest possible minutes of tanning. After you get a base, you'll only need one tan per week to keep it. the key here is to get maximum color from minimum exposure...respect the potential UV danger and be smart, and you can have the best of both worlds in most cases. That being said, if you have a history of skin cancer in the family, DON'T EVEN TRY!!! Accept being pale, and move on. Good luck.

[Puddles]

If you choose to tan, be sure to get your skin examined once a year by a good dermatologist cuz if you catch the bad stuff early chances are that you'll be able to take care of it before it becomes too bad.

[hitmansb]

I believe that it's called Trisoralen or Trioxslaen, the melanin-enhancing drug, isn't it?

[Puddles]

Originally posted by GearTripper
i feel i have to chime in here... MrsP- no disrespect, but do you honestly feel that your bit of indoor tanning versus you rlifelong exposure to UV light caused that mole?

Yes, because the mole was in a place that was never exposed to natural sunlight.

Originally posted by GearTripper
yes, i'm in the industry so i know a thing or two about this. i just hate to see tanning getting such a bad rap by uninformed dermatologists... remember, they're in business to make money also :)

If they wanted to make as much money as possible they'd suggest that you go and tan so that they could perform more procedures and remove more cancers, they make less money just examining than performing surgery.

[Puddles]

Just did a quick search on Google about indoor tanning and skin cancer...

Indoor Tanning: All the Dangers of the Outdoor Sun, Including Skin Cancer

What about tanning lamps?

a recent study at the University of Lund in Sweden concluded that women between the ages of 18 and 35 who expose themselves to the ultraviolet light of indoor tanning parlors more than 10 times a year are seven times more likely to develop skin cancer.

[rubberduckyo]

Originally posted by MrsPuddlesFL
Yes, because the mole was in a place that was never exposed to natural sunlight.



If they wanted to make as much money as possible they'd suggest that you go and tan so that they could perform more procedures and remove more cancers, they make less money just examining than performing surgery.

Mrs. P. Glad you went to a doc to get that checked. Hopefully all will be well. No joking matter whatsoever and people in the "industry" making light of your situation is laughable.

There's an article in Lifetime magazine's July/August edition that may interest you. Their website is www.lifetimemag.com. If you're unable to access it from there, pm me and I'll see if I can scan it and send. Title of the article is "The good news about skin cancer".

Lemme know if I can help.

[Puddles]

Ducky...if you can, post it up in the forum here so that anyone interested can see it. Thanks.

[rubberduckyo]

Originally posted by GearTripper
another thing to note... i'm NOT promoting artificial UV light at all; but for every article someone can dig up about the "dangers" of UV exposure, i can dig up an article showing the "benefits and debunking of myths associated with indorr tanning". i'm gonna stay away from this forum for a bit 'cause it seems everyone takes everything as an attack and way too personal. just wanted to give my opinion in the first place only... that's all. sorry to ruffle everyone's feathers.

... now back to the XXX thread where no one seems to get upset, ever.

Actually the "article" I'm trying to post (grrrrr........if I can figure out how to scan it) is about one ladies fight with skin cancer and how she over came it.

We grew up in the age of baby oil noon time tanning. Times have changed.

I wasn't mocking you. Many skin types have a larger store of melanin, so indoor tanning may pose much less a risk to them. But to suggest that a lady already diagnosed with a pre-cancerous mole should simply change up her tanning routine is ludicrous.

[rubberduckyo]

I need to apologize as it wasnt Tripper that suggested that.

[Puddles]

Geer...you weren't ruffling anyone's feathers. I don't anger easilly (unless I'm PMS'ing, which I'm not). :)

Originally posted by GearTripper
there's no truth to that statement... let's say i never ever once exposed my back to UV light of any kind in my whole life, but say i tanned my legs everyday for 10 years... i could develop a cancerous mole on my back. go figure.

You asked me if I honestly FELT that my indoor tanning caused the mole and I said yes...how can there not be any truth in what I feel?

While not all skin cancers are caused from tanning, it is the primary cause. Maybe it's a coincidence that my problem arose in an area that never got sun exposure and only tanning bed exposure, maybe it's not.

Originally posted by GearTripper
ummm, you are kidding right? if dermatologists all of a sudden recomended artificial tanning, they're practice would loose billions.

How would they loose money? I'm curious.

I'm sure if they felt it was good for you, they'd offer this "safe tanning" at their offices just like they offer many other services.



Something I've noticed that I find strange...I'm normally a very fair person and although I haven't tanned in months I'm still not back to the fair complection I used to have with the exception of my face. Before I set foot into a tanning salon I had tan lines...they have not come back and it's been a good 4 months since I've tanned regularly.

[mystik]

geez...

I left this topic alone for a little bit, and everyone pulled out daggers and started stabbing each other! lol

sorry to have caused all that trouble...

I guess, I will just get big... and stay white! (or see thru) :rofl:

[Puddles]

LOL :)