Facts About Tanning and Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancer and almost more than three million people in the United States are diagnosed with this type of cancer. The  numbers are multiplying day by day and at least one in five Americans will be affected by this type of cancer in the coming years. The basal cell carcinoma is the one that affects many individuals, and squamous cell carcinoma remains at the second position. This year it is estimated that more than three thousand people will succumb to death from nonmelanoma skin cancer. The nonmelanoma skin cancers are usually associated with the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. 

An affiliate of World Health Organization has listed ultraviolet radiation as one of the most dangerous human carcinogen. Tanning increases the risk of cancer. Though the melanoma cases are less they account for major mortality rate. The majority of these melanoma cases are merely due to ultraviolet radiation of sun that are responsible for causing mutations. It is more common in young adults. The risk increases further if the person has had more sunburns. In fact,  the chances are almost doubled if there has been a blistering sunburn in adolescence or childhood. Melanoma ranks as the fifth common cancer in males, whereas in females it is listed on the seventh position.

Frequent tanners should be particularly aware because the tanning that they receive from exposure to sun is almost increased twelve times whenever they are using the high pressure sunlamps. A single indoor tanning session boosts the chances of occurrence of melanoma by about twenty percent. The frequent usage of tanning beds also equally attributes to the increasing cases of melanoma. The cases of basal and squamous cell carcinoma increase almost four times if the individuals are tanning themselves indoors. In fact, in almost sixty nine percent cases, there is early onset of basal cell carcinoma in indoor tanners.

The teenagers and children are more susceptible to skin cancer, as their cells are undergoing changes rapidly and the rate of division is also much higher as compared to the adults. A mild to moderate exposure to sun will lead to increased number of pigmented moles in kids, that may further lead to increasing the risk of skin cancer. The ultimate conclusion is that no tanning is good enough and that it only increases the risk of getting affected by skin cancer. Even though the tan may fade away, the skin still remains damaged internally. It has been confirmed that the tanning beds may prove to be hazardous and hence many states have banned the usage of the same to lower the risk of this cancer.

Tanning or exposure to ultraviolet radiation will result in suppression of the immune power, premature aging of skin, damage to eyes that includes cataract, ocular melanoma etc., and moreover, you may get addicted to tanning as well.

Therefore, if you want to stay away from skin cancer, avoid exposure to ultraviolet radiation, whether it is indoors or due to sun. If you want to learn more about skin cancer, you can get some vital details on clicking here. It will provide information on every doubt or question you have in your mind about cancer of skin.