With school days dwindling down to single digits, it seems like almost every teenager is talking about heading to the beach to get a nice summer glow.
However, for every way that tanning may seem to benefit an individual, there are a million ways that it could go horribly wrong.
This obsession with being “beautiful” is not worth the many health risks associated with toasting your skin. Habitually laying in the sun can cause eye damage, premature aging, skin cancer and may even lead to death, so why do people expose themselves to such dangers?
In the US, tanning has become widely accepted and commonplace, so people often fail to comprehend the not-so-sunny side to this situation.
Individuals need to be educated about the effects of sun exposure and realize they are not invincible.
Truth be told, even one bad sunburn could end with you under the knife.
CHS parent Andrew Gold went through many years thinking that the irritation on his stomach was just a form of eczema. It wasn’t until the mysterious mark was tested that he found out he had been harboring skin cancer for 14 years. Fortunately, the cancer did not spread and was removed immediately. This is not always the case. More serious forms of skin cancer, such as Melanomas, can take over other organs and potentially be fatal.
According to SkinCancer.org, the CDC reported that less than one-third of American teenagers practice effective sun protection.
According to dermatologist Danielle Drezek, from The Dermatology Center, it is crucial to check labels on cosmetics and medicines for possible sun sensitivity. It is also important to avoid the sun during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and wear clothing that covers the body. Sunscreen is preferred, so pick one with an SPF of 15 or higher. Reapply every hour if possible depending upon how long one is out in the sun.
Teenagers may be educated on the dangers of tanning, which is why they look for a “safer” means of achieving a sun-kissed glow. Sunless self-tanners and spray tans that yield instant results have become an easy and more convenient way to go.
Although spray tanning is often considered to be the “safer alternative” to tanning beds, it is far from risk-free. The seemingly quick and harmless procedure of getting a spray tan is proven to cause anywhere from mild to extremely serious consequences.
The FDA has received reports of spray-tan users getting rashes and experiencing coughing, dizziness and fainting.
Medical experts have recently found much more devastating problems associated with spray tanning, such as chemicals that, if inhaled, may get into the bloodstream through the lungs and damage DNA.
It would be unfair to say that spray-tan users do not check their facts, or care about their bodies, because most do. The problem is the abundance of faulty information online. Recent discoveries conclude that websites have been mistaking the dangerous chemical DHA, found in spray-tans with an Omega-3 fatty acid known by the same abbreviation.
The skin is like armor—your best defense against the harsh conditions of the outside world. Having a tan is not worth destroying this crucial part of the body, or any other part. Instead of trying to change your skin, flaunt it. You’re perfect the way you are.
