Tanning Beds And Parental Consent

Main Category: Dermatology
Also Included In: Melanoma / Skin Cancer
Article Date: 07 Aug 2005 - 19:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Joshua L Fox, MD, FAAD, New York-area dermatologist and founder of Advanced Dermatology said:

"When Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill that would make teen visits to a tanning salon without parental consent illegal in California, the issues surrounding the dangers of tanning beds, and the government's role in protecting children from them, were thrust back into the spotlight. Indeed, California is only one of a number of states, including New York, that are considering or implementing parental/medical consent laws for teenagers as they seek to use tanning beds or sunlamps to achieve that golden glow of a summer suntan. However, the short-term bronzing effects of tanning beds are simply not worth the possible long-term consequences of increased skin cancer risk and premature aging. Particularly during the teenage years, continued use of a tanning bed or sunlamp can be quite dangerous. They can increase your risk of developing malignant melanoma by more than 55 percent and they can about double your chances of basal cell and/or squamous cell cancer."

Fox says that while these two forms of cancer have good cure rates, melanoma is quickly becoming the fastest growing and deadliest forms of cancer, particularly among young adults.

ProfNet
Ste 200, 888 Veterans Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
United States
http://www.profnet.com

• Additional
• References
• Citations