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Tweens
& Tanning -
How harmful is your child's desire to look tan
all year-round?
by Jenine Vuolo
PARENTGUIDE
News May 2004
A healthy glow... tall, dark and handsome... a
beautiful tan— it is no wonder tweens to-day
are spending more time making their skin darker
than doing their biology homework. But is tanning
healthy, especially at this young of an age? Dr.
Tabasum Mir, a Manhattan oculoplastic surgeon
and skincare specialist shared her thoughts on
tweens and tanning:
What
is the most influencing factor in a young person’s
decision to tan?
It is easy to understand why tweens “go
for the burn” when nearly every young starlet
appears in the media looking like a bronzed goddess.
The tanning industry is very good at creating
tanning packages that are very attractive to young
girls. But the incidence of indoor tanning is
disturbing because it is so unnecessary. It is
practiced solely for cosmetic reasons. Tweenagers
are intentionally putting their health at risk.
What
are the potential dangers of tanning? What does
tanning do to the skin exactly?
Sunlight consists of two kinds of harmful rays—
UVA rays and UVB rays. UVB rays are the sun’s
burning rays, while UVA rays penetrate deeper
into the dermis to cause skin damage. Any change
in the color of the skin means that the skin has
been damaged. This damage may not be a problem
when tweens are young, but ten years down the
road it can become a life-threatening condition.
Skin cancer is commonly associated with excessive
ultraviolet light exposure before the age of 18.
Which
is worse: the tanning bed or the natural sun?
Recent studies of the UV emission spectrum of
tanning beds illustrate the similarities between
tanning bed exposure and that of natural sunlight.
However, while the UVB exposure levels in tanning
beds are similar to natural sunlight, the UVA
levels were 10 to 15 times higher. These high
exposure levels correspond to an overall UV “index”
of 13. In comparison, an average UV index during
a hot summer day is 8.5.
What
can parents do to steer their children away from
excessive tanning and tanning beds?
We need to talk to tweens about the potential
dangers of using indoor tanning and practicing
“safe sun.” We may need to encourage
the consideration of laws requiring notes from
parents for young tweens who wish to tan indoors.
Some responsible salons are already doing this.
We might also want to ask kids why they are so
tan in February and monitor their use of tanning
salons. It is also a good idea to have grandparents
speak to their grandchildren about why at their
age they have to get their skin checked so often
by doctors.
Is
there such a thing as a safe tan?
There seems to be a popular misconception among
young people that indoor tanning is “safer”
than exposure to outdoor sunlight. However, tanning
beds still emit dangerous levels of UV rays and
are considered a serious health risk.
How many people are diagnosed with skin
cancer each year?
According to current statistics, nearly half of
all new cancers are skin cancers and more than
one million new skin cancer cases will be diagnosed
in the United States this year. In a recent survey
of over 10,000 young people ages 12-18 from all
50 states, it was found that the simple use of
sunscreen on sunny days was practiced by only
34.4 percent of youths surveyed. The survey also
discovered that 83 percent of teens had experienced
at least one sunburn in the previous year, and
36 percent of those who were burned had experienced
three or more sunburns.
What are some basic strategies to share
with tweens/teens for avoiding sun damage?
•Limit your time in the sun between 10am
and 4pm. These are the brightest times of the
day.
•Wear a wide-brimmed hat and if possible,
tightly woven, full-length clothing.
•Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an
SPF of at least 15.
•Seek shade whenever possible.
•Wear UV-protective sunglasses (check the
tag). Polycarbonate lenses block UV rays.
•Check the UV Index for your location daily.
Jenine
Vuolo is an assistant editor.
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