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Tanning May Increase Risks for Certain Types of Cancer

Tanning devices may present a significant increase in certain individuals for malignant melanoma and may also contribute to premature ageing of the skin - two ugly situations any way you look at it!

There aren't many people who don't enjoy that just-got-bronzed look, but as we grow smarter about the risks involved in achieving such, some of us may need to embrace our ivory towers rather than seek the gold.

Sunless Tanning Creams, Lotions

Even tanning cream in a tube isn't without risks. For sunless tanning smooth-ons, check out bronzers and extenders which tend to be safe.

Bronzers:  Check the label to ensure that the color additives have been approved by the FDA.

Extenders: Contain dihydroxyacetone.  When externally applied to the skin, extenders produce a tanning effect by reacting to the protein on the surface of the skin.  Tan tends to fade after a few days.

Tanning Accelerators: Beware of the following ingredients which may present health risks and dangers: amino acid tyrosine, tyrosine derivatives.

Dangers of Tanning Pills

Tanning pills which contain carotenoid color additives that can be carried throughout the body and in turn may present serious health risks, including death.

Artificial Devices for Tanning - Tanning Beds & Sunlamps

Before heading to the tanning bed or sunlamp, note that the following factors may raise those risks significantly:

Fair toned skin

Moles

Freckles

Family history of skin cancer

Skin that tends to easily burn

Individuals under the age of 18

A Note About Vitamin D & Sun Block

Recent studies indicate that applying that daily dose of sun block might not be such a good idea.  Even though sun block protects against ageing and skin cancers, an individual may be increasing his risk of getting thirty-odd other forms of cancer.

Vitamin D is not made internally, and we get most of this essential vitamin from the sun.  So next time you head out, use common sense before applying sun block.  If you're going to be out in the sun for an extensive length of time, then yes, you'll want to smatter it on.  For those other times, ask your doctor who always knows best. 

Before using natural OR artificial methods to achieve that bronzed hide, it's a good idea to get with your doctor to discuss risks they may present to you.  

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