Monday, May 5, 2008 11:54 AM CDT
With summer near, time to take care when tanning
By LISA BARTELT, Staff Writer
lbartelt@jg-tc.com
When it comes to skin and summer, winter white is “out” and tan is “in.”
But that wasn’t always the case.
An accidental suntan in 1923 fostered what has become a multi-billion-dollar year-round industry, and while health experts warn of the dangers of tanning, salons that offer the service continue to thrive.
Only in the last 85 years has tanning been considered “fashionable.” Its popularity is credited to French fashion designer Coco Chanel.
The story goes that Chanel received a suntan while yachting with the Duke of Wellington in 1923. Her influence was such that those who saw her when she stepped off the boat thought she had started the latest trend.
The rest, as they say, is history.
“(Tanning) was not popular till the 1920s,” said Sheila Simons, associate professor of health studies at Eastern Illinois University. “Prior to that tans were associated with lowly laborers — that’s where the term redneck came from.”
Times have changed, and tanning salons have made it possible for people to tan year-round, no matter where they live.
“We’re in an industry where people care about what they look like,” said Terry Carpenter, owner of Tan Express in Charleston, Mattoon, Effingham and Shelbyville. “People want to look good.”
Whether by sun exposure or salon, tanning carries risks that people need to be aware of, Simons said.
“It’s most important to note there is no such thing as a safe tan,” she said. “When the skin is tan, it is damaged.”
Risks for skin cancer increase with sun exposure, she said. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a branch of the World Health Organization, reviewed 19 international studies and found a strong association between tanning bed use and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, Simons said.
The same agency, through seven worldwide studies, found an increased risk of 75 percent for those who first use a tanning bed before the age of 35.
“They don’t see the consequences till they’re much older,” she said. Cosmetically, too much sun can cause sunspots, wrinkles and sagging skin, she said.
Carpenter acknowledges there are risks and said moderation is the key when it comes to tanning.
“We have recommended guidelines,” he said, noting that customers fill out a skin inventory before their first tan. Their time and intensity in the beds, then is based on the inventory, he said. Different skin types start out at different levels, he said.
Many customers use the tanning beds in preparation for vacations, he said.
“In my opinion, it’s smarter to have a slight base (tan) when you go to the beach,” he said.
Tan Express also offers a sunless tanning service, and Co-owner Donna Beason said some customers will use a combination of the beds and sunless tanning before visiting a tropical location “because they want to blend in with the culture.”
To safely enjoy the summer sun, Simons said a minimum SPF 15 sunscreen is a necessity, and it must be reapplied if the wearer gets wet or perspires. The sunscreen also should block both UVA rays, which penetrate the top layer of skin, and UVB rays, which affect the lower levels of skin.
Peak time for protection is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and not just in the summer.
“That’s not to say sun exposure is not a good thing,” she said. “It’s required for Vitamin D production.”
But people only need 5-10 minutes of sun exposure three times a week to make an adequate amount of Vitamin D, Simons said.
Spray-on tans, which usually are based on beet extracts, are a safe way to tan, Simons said.
“If you want it, that’s a way to do it,” she said.
Carpenter said he began offering UV-free tanning four years ago to offer people another option.
“For people concerned about UV exposure, Mystic spray (the UV-free tanning) offers an alternative,” he said.
Although she would like to see tanning beds banned, Simons said they can be a benefit, but only as phototherapy when prescribed by a dermatologist. It can help with psoriasis and other types of skin conditions, she said.
Beason and Carpenter said their customers cite many positives from their time in the tanning beds. Some teenagers say tanning helps with acne, Beason said, and older customers say their bones feel better after tanning.
“Some people tan because it helps their emotional well-being,” Beason said. “It’s total relaxation. I used to call it my 20-minute power nap.”
“For a lot of them, it’s their 20 minutes away from the cell phone and the kids,” Carpenter said.
Contact Lisa Bartelt at lbartelt@jg-tc.com or 238-6866.
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krusayda wrote on May 5, 2008 10:57 AM: