Beauty: only skin deep?
Tanning, whether in a salon or in natural sunlight is a bad idea, expert says
Emily Hartwig
Issue date: 2/27/06 Section: Money/Health
You slip out of your clothes, lie down and ease the Plexiglas cover over you, encasing your body in a shell-like atmosphere. Bright lights snap on and strike every inch of your body with an unnatural color. You lie still for about 10 minutes, perspiring in the heat and thinking about how great you will look when this tanning session - and your additional appointments before spring break -is over.
But dermatologist Lawrence Scherrer from Marshfield Clinic, 2116 Craig Road, said trying to get a tan, whether in a tanning salon or in natural sunlight, is a bad idea.
"If you want a risk of cancer all over your body, by all means, go get a tan," Scherrer said. He said repeated exposure to UV rays increases the risk of melanoma and often cause moles, freckles and wrinkles to appear. These last two effects, he said, are especially prevalent in those who frequent tanning beds and are less common when one tans in natural sunlight.
Sophomore Margot Pfefferle said she is aware of the cancer risk but wears sunscreen in areas that will burn and never stays in the tanning bed long enough to seriously damage her skin.
"I am very much a summer person and I really like the sun," Pfefferle said. "It's impossible to get tan in the winter."
Scherrer said the skin signals cell damage by changing color, so even a light tan means harm has been done, while burns significantly increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.
A trip to Texas over spring break is freshman Courtney Bagneski's motive for buying tanning sessions at The Tannery, 427 Water St.
"I only do it because I don't want to totally fry my skin when I'm down there," Bagneski said. "I'm not doing it to make myself look good; I'm doing it to protect myself from getting really burnt in the 'real' sun."
Senior Andrea Sosnoski who has been a manager at The Tannery for three years, said business picks up significantly in the weeks leading up to spring break.
"(Students) want to expose themselves and create a decent base tan so they have a lesser chance of burning when they get there," Sosnoski said. "It is always nice to see a little 'sunlight' this time of year."
But dermatologist Lawrence Scherrer from Marshfield Clinic, 2116 Craig Road, said trying to get a tan, whether in a tanning salon or in natural sunlight, is a bad idea.
"If you want a risk of cancer all over your body, by all means, go get a tan," Scherrer said. He said repeated exposure to UV rays increases the risk of melanoma and often cause moles, freckles and wrinkles to appear. These last two effects, he said, are especially prevalent in those who frequent tanning beds and are less common when one tans in natural sunlight.
Sophomore Margot Pfefferle said she is aware of the cancer risk but wears sunscreen in areas that will burn and never stays in the tanning bed long enough to seriously damage her skin.
"I am very much a summer person and I really like the sun," Pfefferle said. "It's impossible to get tan in the winter."
Scherrer said the skin signals cell damage by changing color, so even a light tan means harm has been done, while burns significantly increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.
A trip to Texas over spring break is freshman Courtney Bagneski's motive for buying tanning sessions at The Tannery, 427 Water St.
"I only do it because I don't want to totally fry my skin when I'm down there," Bagneski said. "I'm not doing it to make myself look good; I'm doing it to protect myself from getting really burnt in the 'real' sun."
Senior Andrea Sosnoski who has been a manager at The Tannery for three years, said business picks up significantly in the weeks leading up to spring break.
"(Students) want to expose themselves and create a decent base tan so they have a lesser chance of burning when they get there," Sosnoski said. "It is always nice to see a little 'sunlight' this time of year."