Checking the thermometer—or even looking out the window—in Central Kentucky this week, it’s hard to believe that spring break is just around the corner. Many people will be heading south for a little sun and warmth.  Others are just dreaming of summer days here, with days by the pool or sunbathing in the back yard.  And still others are imagining prom pictures and how they’ll look in that special dress or tux.

Whether preparing for a trip south, wanting to look your best or thinking ahead to summer, lots of people turn to tanning beds for a “base tan” in March and April.

In Kentucky’s current legislative session a physician has introduced a bill banning the use of tanning beds in the state by anyone under the age of 18.  It’s a bill we support, and here’s why:

• Indoor tanning (tanning beds) is associated with an increased incidence of skin cancers, including melanoma (the most dangerous kind).
• The use of indoor tanning has increased among teens, especially girls, in recent years.
• Depending on the particular tanning bed used, you may receive up to 15 times the UVA rays that you would receive from exposure to midday summer sun.
• Tanning has cumulative effects.  The more sunburns, and even tanning, your body receives over the years increases the odds you will develop skin cancers.  Tanning also causes premature skin aging and damages all the layers of the skin.

A tan does not make you more healthy; the facts support the opposite—tanning causes long-term damage.

So, don’t allow or encourage your teens to use tanning beds.  Read more from the American Academy of Pediatrics here.

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