No more fun in the sun?

Sunless tanning is definitely a better alternative
for those looking for golden brown skin and luster.

The State.com, South Carolina's home page asked a few
young adults what their feelings on tanning and it's main
detrimental side effect - skin cancer.

No more fun in the sun?

Each week we ask folks about town for their take on
a Health&Fitness topic. Send suggestions for questions
to cjgward@thestate.com. These days, the only
healthy tan comes from a bottle, and manufacturers
are coming up with better and better formulas for
sunless tanning products.

Skin cancer is the No. 1 cancer among Americans,
according to the CDC. For more information, go to www.cdc.gov/cancer/nscpep/about2004.htm.)

It's important to protect your skin from the sun's
harmful rays daily, not just at the beach. But do young
people really concern themselves with effects that
might not occur until later? Here's what a few people
in Five Points had to say:

Katie Allawos , 17 'I don't tan! I have red hair, and I
have the ability to tan, but when I do, my skin ends
up matching my hair, and I don't want to end up
looking like a carrot. I choose not to because I'm
concerned about damage to my skin.'

Tatiana Elkina, 17 'I walk out in the sun and five
minutes later I can see strap marks. I'm a little
concerned about the effects, but not much -my family
has no history of skin cancer.

Phillip Hartley, 25 'My primary concern about sun
exposure is skin cancer. I do burn, if I forget my
sunscreen. But I don't do that much anymore.'

Hiram Sipes, 25 'Yes, I am concerned about skin
cancer. I burned a lot when I was little, but not so
much anymore. I play soccer all the time, so I get
some sun. I enjoy being out in the sun, but I'd never
lie in a tanning bed.'

Emily Dawson, 21 'I tan. At the beginning of the
summer, I'll lay in a tanning bed a little, but during
the summer, I just lay out in the sun. I should be,
but I'm just not concerned about that right now.'




sunless tanning