The Myth of the Healthy Tan

[Shantilly]

this was published in the Brantford Expositor Wednesday Feb 8, 2006


HEALTHY BYTES
Thinking about heading to a hot, tropical place to escape the winter doldrums?
Have you thought about stoping by a tanning salon before heading out on your vacation? If so, you might want to take a moment to read through some common myths about artificial tanning.
MYTH: Artificial tanning does not lead to skin cancer.
FALSE: When you tan, your cells become damaged by ultraviolet radiation. The damaged cells then die or repair themselves. The cells that are unable to repair themselves turn into defective cells.
Since ultraviolet radiation weakens the immune system, the body is unable to destroy the defective cells. The defective cells are then able to grow and produce a tumour, which can result in skin cancer.
Other negative health effects of ultraviolet radiation include eye damage, premature aging, and a weakened immune system.
MYTH: Skin cancer is not that common.
FALSE: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada. The increase in skin cancer can be attributed to the depletion of the ozone layer, which helps to filter the suns's ultraviolet radiation, and because people are spending more time in the sun with less clothing to protect their skin.
It develops slowly, sometimes taking 10-30 years for the clinical signs of skin cancer to appear.
MYTH: Artificial tanning is a safe alternative to tanning in the sun.
FALSE: Any tan is a sign of skin damage, whether the tan was developed from artificial tanning or from the sun.
Artificial tanning beds emit 2-5 times the amount of ultraviolet radiation as compared to the sun.
MYTH: It is important to have a base tan before heading to a tropical vacation.
FALSE: A base tan does not potect against burns. A minimum SPF of 15 is still recommended at all times.
MYTH: Self-tanning creams and lotions are not safe.
FALSE: According to the CDA (Canadian Dermatolgy Association), sunless/self tanners containing DHA (dihydroxyacetone) are safe to use when applied topically (to the skin) in the form of a cream or lotion.
They may provide limited sun protection so SPF of 15 is still recommended at all times.
When purchasing a sunless/self-tanning cream or lotion ensure the product contains DHA.
MYTH: Sunless total body sprays are safe.
FALSE: While the CDA approves DHA applied to the skin as self-tanning cream or lotion they do not endorse its use as a total body spray as the potential hazards of total body mist application (like eye and respiratory irritations, eczema, asthma, etc.) are not yet known.
Total body sprays may provide limited sun protection so once again, a sunscreen with SPF of 15 is still recommended at all times.
The Brand Count Health Unit offers free presentations on artificial tanning and sun safety to organizations in the City Of Brantford and County of Brant.
For more information on artificial tanning or sun safety, contact the Brant County Health Unit at 753-4937 ext. 459
***
Healthy Bytes is written by Lisa Gilmour, Health Promoter, and Tara Vyn, Public Health Nurse at the Brant County Health Unit.

[Shantilly]

If I contact smart tan canada will they rebutt this with the paper, or do I do it myself? I am p***ed off!!!

[Neon Beach]

Another moron that knows nothing about what she is talking about other than what she reads in some Newletter from the sunscreen industry.

[clubtan1]

Fact #1 - Sun exposure could actually help prevent cancer.
Evidence - It's true. Studies indicating that this relationship exists need to be considered. Many different researchers have shown that regular moderate sun exposure may play a role in preventing several kinds of cancers, including colon and breast cancers, which claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Several studies have shown that Vitamin D, whose only reliable source for humans comes from sunshine, may play a role in retarding or arresting pre-cancerous cells in the body from reproducing. Indeed, we have known for decades that overall cancer rates are significantly higher in sun-deprived parts of the world.

Fact #2 - The benefits of sun exposure far outweigh the risks of sunburn and overexposure.
Evidence - Do the math. Non-melanoma skin cancer, which may be linked to sunburn and overexposure to ultraviolet light, has an extremely low death rate of 0.3 percent and claims 1,200 lives a year in the United States. Compare that to diseases that can be inhibited by regular sun exposure. Colon and breast cancers, both of which may be inhibited by regular ultraviolet light exposure, have high death rates of 20-65 percent and claim 138,000 lives every year. Osteoporosis, a bone disease which can be inhibited by regular sun exposure, is epidemic, affecting 25 million Americans. Every year, 1.5 million osteoporosis patients suffer bone fractures, which can be fatal in elderly cases. Because regular sun exposure may inhibit the onset of this and other diseases, it is clear that these and other potential benefits of sun exposure need to be explored and factored into the equation.

Fact #3 - People who receive regular sun exposure have a lower incidence of malignant melanoma than those who don't.
Evidence - Researchers have known for years that individuals who receive regular exposure to sunshine have a lower risk of contracting melanoma skin cancer. This fact is not disputed in the scientific community among researchers, although some less-informed doctors and lobbyists do not understand this relationship, and often confuse the statistics. What's more, new research is showing that skin cancer is more prevalent in the northerly latitudes of North America and of Europe than in the southerly latitudes, which again suggests that regular sun exposure may inhibit the development of melanoma skin cancer.

Fact #4 - If regular sun exposure could prevent cancer, why do we always hear only the opposite?
Evidence - The almighty dollar. Fear of the sun, scaring people about wrinkles and skin cancer, is a multi-billion-dollar industry led by huge special interests who not only conduct most of the research on this topic but also promote it. Lobbyists for pharmaceutical firms that sell billions of dollars of sunscreens and anti-sun cosmetics have teamed with the dermatology industry to promote a misinformed campaign of sun abstinence. Conversely, there is no major industry except the indoor tanning industry that could make money by promoting the positive effects of sunshine. And the indoor tanning industry consists of smaller companies that do not match the marketing saturation of the multi-billion dollar "sun-scare coalition." The idea that people need to control their sun exposure is valid, but sun-scare lobbyists have taken that message too far.

Fact #5 - Why don't dermatologists like any form of tanning?
Evidence - The dermatology industry makes most of its money on "vanity visits" from patients. One prominent New York dermatologist estimates that 50-90 percent of the dermatology industry's business is "cosmetic" and medically unnecessary. Skin cancer is an important issue to the dermatology industry because it represents the only subject that its lobbyists can promote as critical. Unfortunately, in their zeal to address this topic, lobbyists for the dermatology industry have twisted the facts, exaggerated research findings and misled the public.

Fact #6 - So is skin cancer a concern then?
Evidence - Absolutely. But it is a concern that professional indoor tanning facilities feel they are addressing effectively by teaching people to tan intelligently indoors and outdoors. We feel the marketing hype behind the sun-scare message has blown the concern about this issue out of whack and has completely ignored the positive aspects of regular moderate sun exposure.

Fact #7 - Indoor tanning is helping to reduce the incidence of sunburn.
Evidence - It's true. One industry study has shown that indoor tanners, are 81 percent less likely to sunburn indoors or outside than non-tanners. That's because tanning salons are playing a lead role in educating people that moderate tanning is okay and sunburn should be avoided. The impractical message of sun abstinence promoted by the "sun-scare coalition" is totally ineffective, people are not going to hide from sunshine. Indeed, the American Academy of Dermatology reported in 1997 that sunburn incidence has increased nine percent in the past 10 years, despite all-out efforts of sun-scare industries to warn people about the dangers of overexposure. In that same time period, sunburn incidence among indoor tanners has declined. It is the non-tanners who are doing most of the burning. Given that reality, teaching people who can tan the principles of smart tanning is most practical.

[Neon Beach]

That's what I was thinking.

[Shantilly]

clubtan thats fabulous!! I am researching now for a rebuttal. Getting facts. I am so fighting this.

[Neon Beach]

Municipal Health Units, in my experience, won't care, but go for it!!

[clubtan1]

Healthy Bytes is written by Lisa Gilmour, Health Promoter, and Tara Vyn, Public Health Nurse at the Brant County Health Unit. My guess is that they don't care about a rebuttle. They work for the paper and they love seeing their names in print. All they did was C&P their information and did no research.

[Neon Beach]

Everything they spew is scripted from some source that is not interested in telling the facts in a positive light.

[TonyinFla]

Originally Posted by clubtan1

Fact #1 - Sun exposure could actually help prevent cancer.
Evidence - It's true. Studies indicating that this relationship exists need to be considered. Many different researchers have shown that regular moderate sun exposure may play a role in preventing several kinds of cancers, including colon and breast cancers, which claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Several studies have shown that Vitamin D, whose only reliable source for humans comes from sunshine, may play a role in retarding or arresting pre-cancerous cells in the body from reproducing. Indeed, we have known for decades that overall cancer rates are significantly higher in sun-deprived parts of the world.

Fact #2 - The benefits of sun exposure far outweigh the risks of sunburn and overexposure.
Evidence - Do the math. Non-melanoma skin cancer, which may be linked to sunburn and overexposure to ultraviolet light, has an extremely low death rate of 0.3 percent and claims 1,200 lives a year in the United States. Compare that to diseases that can be inhibited by regular sun exposure. Colon and breast cancers, both of which may be inhibited by regular ultraviolet light exposure, have high death rates of 20-65 percent and claim 138,000 lives every year. Osteoporosis, a bone disease which can be inhibited by regular sun exposure, is epidemic, affecting 25 million Americans. Every year, 1.5 million osteoporosis patients suffer bone fractures, which can be fatal in elderly cases. Because regular sun exposure may inhibit the onset of this and other diseases, it is clear that these and other potential benefits of sun exposure need to be explored and factored into the equation.

Fact #3 - People who receive regular sun exposure have a lower incidence of malignant melanoma than those who don't.
Evidence - Researchers have known for years that individuals who receive regular exposure to sunshine have a lower risk of contracting melanoma skin cancer. This fact is not disputed in the scientific community among researchers, although some less-informed doctors and lobbyists do not understand this relationship, and often confuse the statistics. What's more, new research is showing that skin cancer is more prevalent in the northerly latitudes of North America and of Europe than in the southerly latitudes, which again suggests that regular sun exposure may inhibit the development of melanoma skin cancer.

Fact #4 - If regular sun exposure could prevent cancer, why do we always hear only the opposite?
Evidence - The almighty dollar. Fear of the sun, scaring people about wrinkles and skin cancer, is a multi-billion-dollar industry led by huge special interests who not only conduct most of the research on this topic but also promote it. Lobbyists for pharmaceutical firms that sell billions of dollars of sunscreens and anti-sun cosmetics have teamed with the dermatology industry to promote a misinformed campaign of sun abstinence. Conversely, there is no major industry except the indoor tanning industry that could make money by promoting the positive effects of sunshine. And the indoor tanning industry consists of smaller companies that do not match the marketing saturation of the multi-billion dollar "sun-scare coalition." The idea that people need to control their sun exposure is valid, but sun-scare lobbyists have taken that message too far.

Fact #5 - Why don't dermatologists like any form of tanning?
Evidence - The dermatology industry makes most of its money on "vanity visits" from patients. One prominent New York dermatologist estimates that 50-90 percent of the dermatology industry's business is "cosmetic" and medically unnecessary. Skin cancer is an important issue to the dermatology industry because it represents the only subject that its lobbyists can promote as critical. Unfortunately, in their zeal to address this topic, lobbyists for the dermatology industry have twisted the facts, exaggerated research findings and misled the public.

Fact #6 - So is skin cancer a concern then?
Evidence - Absolutely. But it is a concern that professional indoor tanning facilities feel they are addressing effectively by teaching people to tan intelligently indoors and outdoors. We feel the marketing hype behind the sun-scare message has blown the concern about this issue out of whack and has completely ignored the positive aspects of regular moderate sun exposure.

Fact #7 - Indoor tanning is helping to reduce the incidence of sunburn.
Evidence - It's true. One industry study has shown that indoor tanners, are 81 percent less likely to sunburn indoors or outside than non-tanners. That's because tanning salons are playing a lead role in educating people that moderate tanning is okay and sunburn should be avoided. The impractical message of sun abstinence promoted by the "sun-scare coalition" is totally ineffective, people are not going to hide from sunshine. Indeed, the American Academy of Dermatology reported in 1997 that sunburn incidence has increased nine percent in the past 10 years, despite all-out efforts of sun-scare industries to warn people about the dangers of overexposure. In that same time period, sunburn incidence among indoor tanners has declined. It is the non-tanners who are doing most of the burning. Given that reality, teaching people who can tan the principles of smart tanning is most practical.

CLUBTAN1, Excellent Rebuttal....Thank you