howardtheduck

You want passion? Go watch your soap operas because if you two are as intense and judgemental of your customers as your pears, then your lobby is empty right now because people are afraid of you. By the way, I can't go have a beer because I have customers to take care of. I hope you still know what that feels like as you seem a little jaded with the industry. My Suggestion: Have a great weekend.

ramcat

Howard, My lobby is not empty and my customers appreciate my telling them how to get the most out of their tanning sessions. It's only Shelia that gets me going.

I am not jaded either. i just believe in these discussions and getting something started that will be good for everybody.

Hope you get that beer sometime.....

DWhite6872

who are any of us to state our opinions like they are fact? Lets take it down 10 steps...stop the he said she said...guess what...noone is wrong or right..this is not a one step plan. can we discuss ideas? Why is it when someone brings up an idea we want to nail them to a cross? Calm down....it is not about the Ramcat side or the Dwhite side...get over it!

The industry...our customers....information.....coming together as a group....

howardtheduck

agreed-I want to make money not kill or be killed.

DWhite6872

I agree, okay...we all would like to make money....lets make sure we have an industry that will be around for a long time to come....how do we pull together? I can see that we have a hard time on a tanning site...so how do we get along with other industry leaders in our market? What are you doing as a salon owner to make a difference?

Sheila in Minnesota

HowardTheDuck.... you are young grasshopper.

Walk the rice paper with me....you will soon see what the Masters See.....

There is a happy median between stupidity and genius

another one between apathy and zealotry

Making absurd observations is your right (unless somebody decides to censor you)

I really never liked pears.

And luckily I can understand the process that needs to be protected so that YOU can make money.

DWhite6872

Why is this a topic that people are affraid to discuss? I need to think of how to get in the Derm . business...they have us on a string..and we cannot get along so....I need to think of a business to make money off of our laziness.

engfant

I wonder what EZ JIM's stance is on this.

DWhite6872

I am new...but I was wondering the same thing? What about the PTAF?

Sheila in Minnesota

I believe you already know Engfant.

Because on any day of the week--- One could ask google for benefits of UV light - and they get a mouth full of this:

Quote:




Issue#7
October 2002

This issue of NEWSLINK on Skin Cancer Prevention from the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention focuses on indoor tanning - a two billion dollar industry in the U.S. Some in the tanning industry promote tanning beds and lamps as "safe" or "smart" alternatives to the sun. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report an estimated 700 emergency department visits per year related to indoor tanning. In addition, studies have found that sun lamps and beds could be as harmful as exposure to the sun.

This issue outlines the myths behind these claims and highlights what leading science and research tell us about artificial sources of UVB and UVA radiation. Information is featured from the two agencies that share responsibilities for regulation of sunlamps and tanning devices - the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

In addition, the Council would like to thank Dr. Michael Franzblau with the School of Medicine at the University of California who prepared a special summary detailing steps that he took to challenge the artificial tanning industry in California.

The Council has created this quarterly newsletter as a resource about skin cancer and to connect individuals and organizations with prevention information. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), American Cancer Society (ACS) and The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) sponsor the National Council and this electronic newsletter is one way we promote skin cancer awareness. We hope you enjoy our revised format and newsletter design.

Please share NEWSLINK with others and let us know if you have ideas or programs for future issues, which will be published and distributed quarterly. The next issue will be mid-January. You can visit our website at www.skincancerprevention.org for previous editions of the newsletter and more information about the Council. Please forward comments or suggestions to michellebaker@comcast.net.

Thank you,
Dr. Allan Halpern and Dr. Susan Boiko
Co-Chairs of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention


Table of Contents

Food & Drug Administration Regulations on Sunlamp Products
Common Misleading Claims about Indoor Tanning from the Federal Trade Commission
California's Efforts to Regulate the Artificial Tanning Industry
Go Natural Guide from American Cancer Society
Warnings About Artificial Tanning & New Programs of The Skin Cancer Foundation
Indoor Tanning Links & Resources

FDA REGULATION OF SUNLAMP PRODUCTS

Sunlamp products including tanning beds, tanning booths, and sun beds are regulated by the FDA under the Electronic Product Radiation Control provisions of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

What is the government's position on sunlamp products used either in tanning salons or in homes?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourage people to avoid use of tanning beds and sunlamp products.

The FDA requires manufacturers to affix a warning statement on the sunlamp products which reads as follows:

DANGER-- Ultraviolet radiation. Follow instructions. Avoid overexposure. As with natural sunlight, overexposure can cause eye and skin injury and allergic reactions. Repeated exposure may cause premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.
WEAR ROTECTIVE EYEWEAR; FAILURE TO MAY RESULT IN SEVERE BURNS OR LONG-TERM INJURY TO THE EYES.
Medications or cosmetics may increase your sensitivity to the ultraviolet radiation. Consult physician before using sunlamp if you are using medications or have a history of skin problems or believe yourself especially sensitive to sunlight.
If you do not tan in the sun, you are unlikely to tan from the use of this product.
Other labeling required on the product are: recommended exposure positions, directions for achieving recommended exposure positions and a recommended exposure schedule, a statement of the time it may take before the expected results appear and designation of the ultraviolet lamp to be used in the sunlamp product.

What are the dangers from tanning?
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, tanning beds, or from sunlamps may cause skin cancer. While skin cancer has been associated with sunburn, moderate tanning may also produce the same effect. UV radiation can also have a damaging effect on the immune system and cause premature aging of the skin, giving it a wrinkled, leathery appearance.

From The Darker Side of Tanning, developed and produced by the American Academy of Dermatology in cooperation with the FDA. More info can be found at www.fda.gov/cdrh/radhlth/index.html. (Click on "sunlamps")


COMMON MISLEADING CLAIMS ABOUT INDOOR TANNING

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FDA share responsibilities regulating sunlamps and tanning devices. The FTC has outlined the following advertising claims that are made by some in the indoor tanning industry - and the facts.

"You can achieve a deep year-round tan with gentle, comfortable, and safe UVA light."
Ultraviolet light is divided into two wavelength bands. Shortwave ultraviolet rays called UVB can burn the outer layer of skin. Longwave ultraviolet rays called UVA penetrate more deeply and can weaken the skin's inner connective tissue. Long-term exposure to the sun and to artificial sources of ultraviolet light contributes to the risk of developing skin cancer. Two types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell, are treatable if detected early. Melanoma, another type of skin cancer, can be fatal.

"No harsh glare, so no goggles or eye shades are necessary."
Studies show that too much exposure to ultraviolet rays, including UVA rays, can damage the retina. Overexposure can burn the cornea, and repeated exposure over many years can change the structure of the lens so that it begins to cloud, forming a cataract. Left untreated, cataracts can cause blindness. The Food and Drug Administration requires tanning salons to provide protective eyewear. Closing your eyes, wearing ordinary sunglasses, and using cotton wads do not protect the cornea from the intensity of UV radiation in tanning devices. Long-term exposure to natural sunlight also can result in eye damage, but in the sun, people generally are more aware that their eyelids are burning. Under indoor UV lights, exposed skin remains cool to the touch. In addition, the intensity of lights used in tanning devices is much greater - and potentially more damaging to the eyes - than the intensity of UV rays in natural sunlight.

"Tan year round without the harmful side effects often associated with natural sunlight."
Exposure to tanning salon rays increases the damage caused by sunlight. This occurs because ultraviolet light actually thins the skin, making it less able to heal. Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet rays also results in premature skin aging. A tan is damaged skin that is more likely to wrinkle and sag than skin that hasn't been tanned. Over time, you may notice certain undesirable changes in the way your skin looks and heals. According to some skin specialists, skin that has a dry, wrinkled, leathery appearance early in middle age is a result of UV exposure that occurred in youth.

"No danger in exposure or burning."
Whether you tan indoors or out, studies show the combination of ultraviolet rays and some medicines, birth control pills, cosmetics, and soaps may accelerate skin burns or produce painful adverse skin reactions, such as rashes. In addition, tanning devices may induce common light-sensitive skin ailments like cold sores.
From the FTC's Indoor Tanning Message www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/indootan.htm


CALIFORNIA'S EFFORTS TO REGULATE THE ARTIFICIAL TANNING INDUSTRY

In 1986, Michael Franzblau, M.D., a dermatologist in California, was urged by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to craft legislation to regulate the tanning salon industry in California, with regard to reducing patron skin cancer risk. The Academy anticipated that if California led the way, many other states might follow and adopt similar tanning salon regulations.

Dr. Franzblau crafted a resolution on tanning salon legislation that was presented to and passed by the Congress of California Dermatological Societies. He realized that for the proposed legislation to eventually become law, it would require additional support, particularly from the California Medical Association (CMA). The same resolution was introduced to the CMA House of Delegates in February 1987 where it overwhelmingly passed.

This was a crucial, strategic move since the CMA had a corps of skilled lobbyists who immediately approached key California legislators seeking sponsorship of the proposed bill. To their advantage, the only physician member of the legislature, the late Dr. William Filante, recognized the importance of the desired law. He became its sponsor and devoted a significant
amount of energy and lobbying to enlist support from his colleagues for passage of what became Assembly Bill (AB) 2139 (Filante).

After committee hearings in both the State Assembly and Senate, AB 2139 was approved in 1988 and signed into law on September 14, 1988, by then Governor Deukmajian. Although the tanning industry lobbyists mounted a vigorous campaign to gut the bill, they failed largely because of the legislative muscle of the CMA.

While there is a growing public awareness that indoor tanning represents a threat to health, the tanning industry has, unfortunately, thrived in California. AB 2139 compliance checks have produced disappointing findings. The law has no enforcement mechanism and surveys conducted by spouses of dermatologists have repeatedly identified serious violations of AB 2139 throughout California.

Thus, in l994, Dr. Franzblau carried a resolution to the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates from the American Society for Dermatological Surgery which advocated the banning of indoor tanning facilities per the growing scientific evidence indicting UVA (the chief type of radiation emitted from tanning facility bulbs) as one of the causative factors for the rising incidence of melanoma. The AMA House of Delegates passed AMA Resolution 217-I-94 in December 1994 that states UVA should only be used for medicinal purposes. This remains the official policy of the AMA but there has been no organized effort to prompt the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act on this issue.



GO NATURAL: Protect the Beauty of Your Skin Message for Teens and College Students From the American Cancer Society

For special occasions -like prom, weddings, or spring break- having a tan was once considered a necessity. But heading to a tanning bed is just as dangerous as tanning outdoors. Both can have lasting effects on your skin.

What's the Big Deal About Tanning Salons?

Tanning beds release high levels of UV radiation, which can cause premature aging of the skin and increase risk for skin cancer
Short-term indoor tanning can cause red, itchy, dry skin
Long-term indoor tanning can cause sagging, wrinkled skin
Tanning beds can also burn your skin and eyes and damage your immune system
This year, as you prepare for some of the best times in your life, make the decision to look your best. Keep your skin healthy and natural by avoiding unprotected sun exposure and indoor tanning.


WARNINGS ABOUT ARTIFICIAL TANNING AND NEW PROGRAMS OF THE SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can cause skin cancer. Nonetheless, millions of Americans are tanning indoors annually. They are doing themselves every bit as much harm as if they were tanning outdoors in the sun.

Tanning, like burning, causes genetic damage, which accelerates skin aging and increases the risk for skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation regularly publishes articles to warn the public about the harmful effects of UVR and discourage tanning in any form.

In The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal, Volume XVII, James M. Spencer, MD, MS, and Rex A. Amonette, MD, address the serious long-term risks of indoor tanning. Their article is excerpted below. For the complete article and others on this topic, contact: www.skincancer.org/artificial/index.html

The Case Against Indoor Tanning
The evidence that ultraviolet radiation causes skin cancer is overwhelming and convincing. Despite this information, the use of indoor tanning devices which emit ultraviolet (UV) light, both in tanning parlors and at home, has never been more popular. Indoor tanning is big business, with tanning trade publications reporting this as a $2 billion-a-year industry in the United States. According to industry estimates, 28 million Americans are tanning indoors annually at about 25,000 tanning salons around the country.

Indoor Tanning and Skin Cancer
What then is the evidence that associates indoor tanning with skin cancer?

Tanning Trends magazine, a trade publication, writes: "Moderate tanning has never been linked scientifically to skin cancer. In fact, by helping people tan with a reduced incidence of sunburn, indoor tanning may reduce your risk of ever contracting skin cancer." Indeed, quite the reverse is true: By increasing exposure to carcinogenic UV rays, the risk of skin cancer is increased.

The association of sunlight and the development of skin cancer was first appreciated by P.G. Unna of Berlin, who published a report on the topic in 1894. Since that time, an enormous volume of epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory studies have supported a causal role of the ultraviolet portion of the sun's rays in the development of skin cancer. UV radiation seems to be the cause of all three common skin cancers -- basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. It is thought to induce skin cancers by three mechanisms: First, ultraviolet light directly damages DNA leading to mutations; second, it produces activated oxygen molecules that in turn damage DNA and other cellular structures; and third, it leads to a localized immunosuppression, thus blocking the body's natural anti-cancer defenses.

Tanning vs. Sunburns
The association of sunburns with the development of melanoma has led the indoor tanning industry to suggest that if only these people were tan, they would not sunburn, and thus their melanoma risk would decrease. This concept is erroneous. First, it remains unclear whether the "sunburns only" hypothesis of melanoma development is true. Second, tans acquired at indoor tanning parlors have been studied and have a very poor ability to prevent sunburning. Finally and most importantly, very fair-skinned people are at the highest risk for melanoma, and they tan poorly or not at all, and burn whether at the beach or at the tanning salon. For this high risk group, the burn versus tan debate is irrelevant. Most important, the tanning process itself, even in the absence of burning, injures the skin.

Anti-Industry Campaigns
Physicians and medical groups around the world have undertaken extensive campaigns to decrease excessive exposure to ultraviolet light in order to reduce the current epidemic of skin cancer. These efforts have been successful at educating the public. Surveys show there is increasing awareness that ultraviolet light causes skin cancer. Despite this knowledge, tanning indoors and outdoors is more popular than ever.

Physicians and those concerned about preventing skin cancer can and should continue to play a major role in educating the public about the dangers of tanning, especially directing efforts towards young tanners.

References:
1. Indoor tanning: Stronger than ever. Tanning Today. March 1995; Vol V; p.1.
2. Spencer JM, Amonette RA. Indoor tanning: risks, benefits and future trends. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1995; 33(2): 288-298.
3. Unna PG. Diehistopatholigic der hautrankheiten. Berlin: A Hirshwald, 1894.
4. Robinson JK, Rigel DS, Amonette RA. Trends in sun exposure knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors: 1986 to 1996. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1997;37(2):179-186.

The article below, which appeared in Sun & Skin News, Volume 10, No.1, discusses recent research showing the link between the use of artificial tanning devices and the most common forms of skin cancer.

Strike Three Against Tanning Machines

If anyone thought the jury was still out on the danger of tanning machines, new research may provide the clincher. A study from Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, NH, links tanning device use to basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), the most common forms of skin cancer.

The researchers interviewed 603 BCC and 293 SCC patients (plus 540 healthy subjects) about their sunbed and sunlamp use, history of sun exposure, sun sensitivity, sunburns, and other skin cancer risk factors. With all factors accounted for, tanning device users had 2.5 times the risk of SCC and 1.5 times the risk of BCC, compared to non-users.

"Our study strongly suggests that sunbed and sunlamp use may increase the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers," says lead author Margaret R. Karagas, PhD. "Further research is needed to determine an appropriate public health response."

Sun & Skin News readers know that we've frequently presented evidence of the harm caused by indoor tanning. Our last issue described recent research showing that people exposed to full-body tanning salon sessions have a significant increase in skin repair proteins typically associated with sun damage ("Regulations Don't Make Tanning Salons Safe," Vol. 18, No. 4 2001). We also noted previous findings that women who frequent tanning parlors have a greater incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. (Source: Sun & Skin News, Vol. 19, No. 1 2002).

Campus Blues - New Program from The Skin Cancer Foundation

In conjunction with Campus Blues.com, The Skin Cancer Foundation will conduct a national Pre-Spring Break Skin Cancer Awareness program reaching college students at more than 400 colleges and universities across America. It is being developed in cooperation with the college health and counseling centers. Students will receive "Survival Kits" on campus which will include vital skin cancer prevention information from The Skin Cancer Foundation as well as program sponsors' samples, offers, and coupons. The focus is that skin cancer is preventable and that tanning, from sunlight or artificial sources, is a major health hazard.


ARTIFICIAL TANNING LINKS & RESOURCES

Indoor Tanning: All the Dangers of the Outdoor Sun, Including Skin Cancer from the AAD

Unlimited Tanning Packages May Raise Cancer Risks

Use of Tanning Devices and Risk of Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers from Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Indoor tanning facility density in eighty U.S. cities from the Journal of Community Health

The Case Against Indoor Tanning

Use of Indoor Tanning Sunlamps by US Youth, Ages 11-18 Years, and by Their Parent or Guardian Caregivers: Prevalence and Correlates from Pediatrics

Use of Sunscreen, Sunburning Rates, and Tanning Bed Use Among More Than 10,000 US Children and Adolescents from Pediatrics

Indoor Tanning: Facts for Consumers from FTC (PDF)

Keeping Skin Safe and Healthy from the AAP


TANNING INDUSTRY LINKS

For further information on what the tanning industry has to say about its business, visit:

Indoor Tanning Association, Inc.

International Smart Tan Network

National Tanning Training Institute

North American Alliance of Tanning Salon Owners

Suntanning Association for Education






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surely SOMEBODY out there would like ALL the mangled science and misrepresented FACTOIDS removed as the offering???

certainly with the confirmed data and current published reports - SOMEONE would think it was wise to reach out to the world with the reality of their 'managed' and psycho-engineered health and lifestyle choices?

Ez doesn't feel the industry NEEDS to improve.

and apparently the PTAF doesn't feel the need to ---react????

How do you feel Engfant? Willing to throw on a new harness and get to work?