To tan or not to tan?

Well, here you go my friends. Here are two sides of
the coin in the argument about whether sunless tanning
is better (safer) than conventional tanning methods, i.e.
tanning booths or the sun itself.

In the article below you'll get the opinion of a dermatologist,
a trained professional, and a lobbyist, also a trained
professional albeit in a much different profession.

You decide who makes more sense!
=========================

To tan or not to tan?
By KATHLEEN ST. JOHN
Star-Tribune staff writer Tuesday, May 09, 2006

At this time of year, in anticipation of skin-baring summer
days ahead, many people begin weighing the risks of
tanning salons and sunbathing against the safety of using
a sunless tanning cream. Many will go the sunless route,
but some just can't resist the allure of warm rays on their
skin.

Is there a way to brown your body without courting cancer?

According to Scott Bennion of the Central Wyoming Skin
Clinic, the answer is an unequivocal 'no.'

'There is no safe tan,' Bennion said. 'Tanning is the
body's reaction to damage, so when you're tanning, you're
damaging your skin. Your body's trying to protect itself
against the sun.'Tanning beds are no safer than laying out
in your backyard, Bennion said. The UVA rays the beds
emit 'don't sunburn as easily,' he said, 'but they penetrate
much more deeply into the skin.'

However, Joe Levy, vice-president of the International
Smart Tan Network, a tanning-industry group, said he
believes that dermatologists like Bennion are overstating
the risks of getting a golden-brown glow the old-fashioned
way.

'To say that UV light is bad for you, and therefore you
should avoid sunlight, is like saying water causes drowning
and so you should avoid it,' Levy said. 'They have tried to
make this a black and white issue.'

Levy said his group strives to educate tanning-salon
owners and the public about the 'golden rule' of tanning:
'Never, ever sunburn.'

"The golden rule means something different to every
individual," he said. "We don't suggest that people who
cannot tan (without burning) go to tanning facilities.

"The (phrase) 'smart tan' implies that you should think
about what you're doing."

Levy said Smart Tan Network has worked with the Food
and Drug Administration to create guidelines for those
wishing to use tanning beds.

"This is not a random process," he said. "We have exposure
schedules that we have developed with the FDA … that
minimize the risk of burning, that allow an individual to
gradually increase their exposure times."

At Earth Tones Day Spa and Salon in Casper, owner Rhonda
Boyd said employees suggest exposure limits to their
customers.

"New customers start off at 5 to 10 minutes, depending
what type of skin they have," said Boyd. "With our 15-minute
bed, we encourage them to only go for 15 minutes if they've
been here before. Exceeding that limit, there are chances they
can burn their skin."

Despite these assurances of relative safety, Bennion is
skeptical."They have a nice spin on a lot of their arguments,
but the facts are facts," said Bennion. "Tanning booth rays
damage your skin."

"The tanning lobby is very strong in Washington," he said.
"They've managed to thwart efforts to make tanning more
difficult."

Besides sunburn and its subsequent problems -- sunburns
are linked to skin cancers -- Bennion was quick to point out
another side-effect of tanning, whether in the sun or indoors:
"It also ages you."

That just might be enough to send a few more people
scrambling for the sunless tanning aisle at the drug store.

Staff writer Kathleen St. John can be reached at 266-0586 or Kathleen.Stjohn@casperstartribune.net.

Sunless-tanning tips
* Choose a light- or medium-toned product, which tends to
look more natural.

* Before using the product, wash and exfoliate your skin
with a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells.

* Apply the sunless-tanning product evenly and lightly. Use
less product on dry or thickened skin, such as over your
ankles, knees and elbows. These areas tend to absorb more
product.

* After you apply the product to your face and body, wash
your hands with soap and water to avoid coloring your
palms. Be sure to remove any product from under your
fingernails. Then use a cotton ball to apply the sunless
tanner to the top of each hand.

* To prevent staining your clothes, wait until the sunless
tanner dries completely, about 15 to 20 minutes.

* Most sunless tanning products don't contain a sunscreen
and therefore don't protect your skin from sun damage.
Be sure to apply a sunscreen before going outside.

Source: Mayoclinic.com





sunless tanning product