Do Sunbeds Cause Cancer ?
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The idea of a sun tan representing health or affluence is a recent trend. Before the 1950’s, people were very conscious of keeping their skin out of the sun. Indeed, someone that was heavily tanned may be thought of as some that worked outdoors in a poorly paid job and exposed to too much sun.
During the 1950’s, people became more prosperous. They had more time for leisure activities as opposed to working. These type of activities involved spending time at the beach or other outdoor activities. they also had time and money to spend on exotic vacations to warmer climates.
Pretty soon an all over tan could indicate affluence or a healthy lifestyle (which is not completely untrue). Looking tanned became desirable to the extent that people would go to the beach or spend time outdoors purely to get a sun tan.
People wanted to look suntanned all year round regardless of the time of year. Others wanted to look tanned before they went on vacation. With these attitudes prevalent, the development of the sunbed began.
And since the creation of the sunbed, it has proved to be very popular. It is even popular in places where the climate is sunny and people could get a natural tan.
But the question that most people that use sunbeds have and then choose to forget is are sunbeds healthy ?
It is actually very straightforward. Current research suggests that any form of exposure to ultra violet (UV) radiation will eventually lead to skin cancer. It makes no difference whether this UV radiation is from the sun or another source. Indeed, the only variation in this will be based on a persons skin type or other genetic factor like a family history of skin cancer.
Many tanning salon owners will make the distinction that the radiation that you are exposed to in the sun is different to that of a sunbed. UVB radiation causes the skin to burn and is the kind of radiation you will be exposed to in the Sun. Whereas, UVA radiation is the kind of radiation that you will be exposed to on a sunbed. It does not cause your skin to burn but it is believed to still be just as likely to cause skin cancer.
The important point to take from this is that any form of tanning is bad for the skin. It will eventually lead to skin cancer at some point and is more likely if you are genetically predisposed to developing skin cancer. You should limit your exposure to UV radiation in all circumstances. That is why most people are advised to take precautions in the sun, like wearing sunscreen, a hat and protective clothing.
Lying on a sunbed once a week is like going in the sun with none of this protection. Under the circumstances, it seems like a potentially high price to pay to have a ‘healthy’ tan.
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Comments
Don’t forget the UV protective clothing! Surfers have used rash guard shirts for years but it’s just recently that the SPF 150+ protection these shirts provide while you’re in the water has been discovered by the rest of the beach going population.
Adrian Fletcher’s article is a prime example of the,ignorant, intolerant and the ill informed. he very word ‘cancer’ is being deliberately used to create fear and coerce a public acceptance of these measures. The key fact is that about 95 per cent of skin cancers are basal or squamous cell epitheliomas (in a ratio of about five to one) and although they are called ‘cancers’ they are functionally benign; they do not spread from the skin and kill. Most are just a centimetre in size; local excision is 95-99 per cent successful; residual microscopic pieces of tumour disappear by themselves and the few recurrences are easily removed. The exceptions are rare and often the consequence of some other diseases.
So while ’skin cancer’ is certainly the commonest cancer, the more honest statistic is that skin cancer is the least dangerous cancer; it lies at the very bottom of the mortality table.
So the problem of ’skin cancer’ shrivels as soon as you start to examine it, because the vast majority of these lesions are benign. The problem is technical: these benign epitheliomas are classified as cancers from a particular appearance under the microscope, not from their behaviour. The public, for whom the word cancer creates fear, does not understand this. While it may be technically correct to say that skin ‘cancer’ is related to sun exposure, this is meaningless, because these sun-provoked lesions are not really cancers: they are just small, local, slow-growing and above all benign. These trivial benign lesions cannot possibly justify the aggressive hue and cry about avoidance of UV exposure. Mr Fletcher, before you make sweeping statements, please try to research your subject properly. If you do not agree with any of my comments, please feel free to email me with any substantiation to the ‘facts’ in your article