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I have to admit that in the past I have slipped into a tanning bed before prom season, looking for a base tan before the summer. Yet I was steered away by the compact enclosure of tanning beds. I hated being trapped and after seeing "Final Destination 3," I was way turned off.
It's funny that the sight of a tanning bed blowing up scared me more than the thought of getting skin cancer. Skin cancer never really crossed my mind until I read that one of the deadliest cancers is malignant melanoma, which is caused by excessive skin exposure to UV rays.
These "tanners" are mostly teenagers. In America more than 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer annually.
Germany, where 4 million youths regularly go to tanning beds, recently decided to step up and take action by banning teenagers under the age of 18 from tanning beds. According to Germany's Association for Preventive Dermatology, people under 35 who regularly use tanning beds increase their risk of malignant melanoma by 75 percent.
Along with Germany, Great Britain is pushing the ban as well.
So, when will it be America's turn to pass this law? If every one in five Americans develops skin cancer in their lifetime, why shouldn't this law be passed? Since skin cancer develops in early years, teenagers should be banned from tanning beds to protect their skin for the future.
Even though it may seem like a silly law, there is some logic. So many people are risking their lives by regularly going to tanning beds. Why not pass a law that will prevent Americans from possibly getting cancer?
As a psychological matter, why is it necessary for women and even men to expose themselves to tanning beds? Along with teeth whitening and plastic surgery, these quick beauty fixes are only supposed to make us look better, right? When I stepped into the tanning bed, my intention was to look better.
But we all know image is less important than skin cancer. Tanning beds are two to three times stronger than UV rays from the sun, and too much exposure can cause eye damage, immune system changes and premature aging of the skin-aka wrinkles. Why would any sane person put their skin at risk?
The media's portrayal of tan as desirable leads to self-esteem issues and the desire to do whatever it takes to fit in. Being pale isn't really all that bad. Unfortunately, people, especially teenagers, are reeled into tanning by the notion that appearance is the number one priority when it should be health.
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