Banning Tanning Essay

1001 Words3 Pages

Banning the Bed
Imagine that you are sixteen. You are overjoyed because you have just received your license and can finally drive whenever and wherever you please. A lot of people have been talking about the new tanning salon that has recently opened up in town. You decide to go and check it out, and discover that tanning is something you really enjoy. Tanning becomes an every-other-day occurrence, but after a year, you notice a mole on your leg that you never noticed before. The mole is cancerous, and it is melanoma. You have cancer, and you are only a teenager.
Tanning salons have always been popular destinations for those who may not spend a lot of time outdoors, or for those who prefer to be tan year-round. Unfortunately, such a business attracts young adults, especially around the time of high school formals. The dangers of tanning are numerous, and introducing oneself to such dangers so early in one’s life is reckless. Tanning is a risk, and tanning at such an early age can be fatal. Currently, the states of California, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, and Vermont have made the educated decision to ban tanning from minors. It would be wise for all remaining states in the United States to follow suite.
Indoor tanning was developed in 1906, originally for medical use. Users would develop more Vitamin D, which would aid in absorbing Calcium. Such treatment benefited anyone suffering from bone diseases. During the 1920s, Coco Chanel, a famous fashion designer, and Josephine Baker, a famous singer, displayed sun kissed skin by the means of tanning. The new look took off (“History of Indoor Tanning” 1). Then, in 1970, the beds were tested on athletes, and found that it gave them a healthy glow. The tanning beds were created to imitate...

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...udy done by the American Academy of Dermatology, 59 percent of tanners were unaware of all the threats that accompany using a tanning bed (Cassidy 2). Cassidy also states that this lack of awareness is partially due to the tanning salons not advertising all information about skin cancer (2). Many salons offer tanning lotions, which are much different than sunscreen lotions. While they may not advertise it as sunscreen, not all customers know the difference. Tanning lotion amplifies UV rays, causing one to absorb more rays more quickly. The lotion contains no sunscreen and does not protect the user from the radiation. Of course, such information is not presented when the salon may try to sell you the product. The unfortunate side effect of such misinformation is that people may contract serious diseases without knowing that those illnesses could have been prevented.

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