Experts say no UV tan is safe

Ban 18-year-olds from tanning beds, doctors say.

Any skin tan that comes from ultraviolet rays is unsafe, according to the October issue of Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, a journal on skin care.

Three studies looked at what UV radiation (from the sun or tanning beds) does to the skin, and found that exposure is linked to an increased risk of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Consequently, the researchers called for a ban on the use of tanning beds by people under 18 and said salons should not be able to claim that tanning beds are safe.

To the dismay of many medical professionals, for the last year the tanning industry has made a marketing push claiming that its services provide a safer way to help the body produce needed vitamin D.

Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer in the U.S.; there are as many new cases of melanoma each year as there are of AIDS. For more facts on melanoma, visit our cancer page.