Fake-bake: the tan is not worth the risk

According to a study released in 2002, one quarter of teens aged 15 to 18 had used tanning beds within the previous year - and they're taking a huge risk.

According to the American Cancer Society, overexposure to ultraviolet radiation early in life can increase the risk of getting cancer later. No one knows if tanning beds are the reason, but approximately 500 people aged 19 and under were diagnosed with skin cancer in 2005.

In reaction to this and findings from other studies, 17 states, including Hawaii and Florida, are considering laws that would restrict indoor tanning by minors. The World Health Organization, California-based Aim at Melanoma, and the American Academy of Dermatology all support a movement that would require parental consent for use of tanning beds in all states.

Opponents of the new regulations argue that sunshine is just as damaging, and no one regulates how much sun children can be exposed to.

However, it is more likely that children going out to work or play in the sun will be wearing a sunscreen - whereas teens using tanning booths are there to get the tan.

Some time ago I was having my hair cut by an independent salon owner who said she had gotten rid of her tanning bed. She said she didn't want to be a part of doing to other people what it had done to her. She didn't mention skin cancer, but said that at her age - early 30's - she certainly shouldn't have the thick, wrinkled skin that she did have. She attributed it to overuse of the tanning bed over too many years.

I understand wanting to look nice in a swimsuit - and sport a nice even tan. And we all know that kids think about how they'll look today - and not about how they'll look in ten or twenty years.

I also have friends who tell me that using a tanning bed in winter is wonderful because it warms you clear to the bone. I still would never try it - not because I'm afraid that occasional use at my age would cause trouble, but because I can't imagine laying down and having a lid lowered over me. Tight spaces are not my cup of tea!