Food & Drink
FinanceTanning bed regulations heat up over cancer concerns
If you are a fan of tanning beds, then pay attention to this one. Tanning beds may come under tighter regulation soon, since some studies link them to cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and members of Congress are scrambling to protect you from tanning salons and exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
“To me, tanning is exactly the same as smoking,” said Dr. Darrell S. Rigel, clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. “Just like smoking, the more you do of it, the greater the risk of getting skin cancer later in life.”
Many studies in recent years have documented the health risks of UV exposure from tanning lamps and show that UV radiation exposure during indoor tanning damages the DNA in skin cells. Excessive exposure can lead to skin aging, immune suppression and even eye damage.
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February 16th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Apparently, now all derms are becoming lung cancer specialists. Tanning is our skins natural response to UV exposure. UV exposure is critical for life–particularly vitamin D synthesis. The inhalation of tobacco smoke, the issue of second hand (and now 3rd hand) smoke has no relationship to moderate, controlled UV exposure by skin type and a timer offered by indoor tanning. There is no “scramble to protect” the public from tanning salons–the FDA has regulated the industry since 1980 and even most states have additional restrictions.