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Reality

Yes, ultraviolet light is believed to be linked to skin cancer. But no one understands exactly HOW it is linked. And since human beings NEED ultraviolet light to survive and thrive, categorical statements made about sun exposure should be scrutinized. Clearly, heredity, diet and repeated sunburn at an early age are probably the biggest risk factors for skin cancer. Plus, people with type 1 skin, those who can't develop a tan, have the highest incidence of skin cancer. This supports the logic that sunburn, not mere sun exposure, is the culprit behind skin cancer. Consider that a 1995 study in the International Journal of Cancer reported that individuals who followed a low-fat diet had 90 percent fewer skin cancers. It's clear that sun exposure is not the only factor in this disease and may not even be the main factor.

Myth #2 There is no such thing as a safe tan.

Reality

Actually, you could say that it isn't safe to totally avoid the sun. The benefits of regular sun exposure far outweigh the risks of overexposure, which easily can be minimized by merely avoiding sunburn. Research shows that regular, moderate sun exposure might actually decrease your risk of getting breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancers as well as osteoporosis or even Alzheimer's disease. If you're a woman, you are 69 times more likely to die of breast cancer than skin cancer. And the vitamin D you receive from ultraviolet light, which cannot be replaced in your diet, may inhibit the formation of internal tumors, including breast cancer.

Myth #3 But some dermatologists say tanning causes melanoma.

Reality

The FDA in 1995 held a conference on melanoma. The agency concluded there is no clear evidence to say tanning causes melanoma, the disease's apparent link to ultraviolet light is still mysterious and unexplained. What's more, many studies have shown that people who receive regular sun exposure have less chance of getting melanoma skin cancer than those who don't.

Myth #4 There is an epidemic of skin cancer in the world today.

Reality

No, there isn't. Epidemics are events that happen suddenly and affect more than half of a group of people. Skin cancer rates have been rising steadily in the world since the early 1900s.

Myth #5 Skin cancer rates are rising because more people tan today than did in years past.

Reality

That kind of gross oversimplification is dangerous thinking. Actually, skin cancer rates have risen steadily in the 1900s. And society spent less time outdoors this century than in any previous century. Remember, most people worked outdoors until the industrial revolution in the late 1800s. If anything, the fact people do not receive regular sun exposure, which makes them more susceptible to sunburn when they do go outdoors, may be linked to the increase in skin cancer this century. Again, moderate tanning has not been linked scientifically in any study as a cause of skin cancer.

Myth #6 People catch AIDS or herpes from tanning beds.

Reality

This is impossible. The HIV virus dies upon exposure to oxygen and would not survive on a tanning bed. What's more, the U.S. Center for Disease Control says the odds of contracting any virus from a tanning bed are "extremely remote." Furthermore, professional tanning salons sanitize tanning equipment before every tanning session.

Myth #7 Indoor tanning is riskier than outdoor tanning.

Reality

That's absolutely false. Indoor tanning clients are exposed to a scientifically controlled dosage of ultraviolet light carefully formulated to tan you with a minimal risk of sunburn. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established exposure times for tanning units, guidelines that are clearly marked on each machine. That kind of control is virtually impossible outdoors, where variables such as seasonality, time of day, location, geography, weather conditions, altitude and the Earth's thinning ozone layer make sunburn much more likely. Because sunburn is the main risk factor for skin damage, it's actually smarter to tan indoors.

Myth #8 I heard about a woman who fried her internal organs from too much tanning.

Reality

"The Legend of the Roasted Tanner" is a farce. Ultraviolet light, whether from the sun or from a tanning unit, does not penetrate past your skin. It is impossible to "fry" any internal organs in a tanning bed. This myth is what is commonly referred to as an urban legend, perpetuated by ignorance of ultraviolet light and the tanning process.

Myth #9 I hear that tanning isn't as popular as it used to be.

Reality

Not true. More than 28 million Americans tan indoors, a number that increases steadily year after year. More and more people are tanning for the control, convenience, speed and pure enjoyment of tanning in a salon.

Myth #10 Indoor tanning is like a cigarette for your skin.

Reality

This is a ludicrous comparison. Smoking subjects your lungs to an unnatural compounds that your body is not designed to process. Tanning is your body's natural reaction to sunlight. Your body is designed to tan to help prevent sunburn. Your body is not designed to process cigarette smoke. Incidentally, smokers' risk of contracting lung cancer is hundreds of times higher than non-smokers' risk. On the other hand, in most studies conducted to date, indoor tanners and non-tanners have no statistically different risk of contracting skin cancer.

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