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Doctors Urge Kentuckians to Avoid "Fake Baking"

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May 9th, 2011

Doctors Urge Kentuckians to Avoid "Fake Baking"

Public News Service-KY

 

 

With proms, graduations and summer right around the corner, many Kentuckians will be tempted to hit the tanning beds to get that sun-kissed glow. But experts warn there is a direct connection between such "fake baking" and deadly skin cancer. Medical oncologist Dr. Kari Kendra says research shows regular tanning bed use increases a person's melanoma risk by 75 percent. And she says there are other factors to consider.

"In addition to the cancer risk it's a very short-term change. The more tanning bed use that people have, the faster their skin will look older; we call it 'photo-aging.' They're going to age much faster and look worse than somebody who avoids it."

Unlike natural sunlight, Dr. Kendra says, the light from indoor tanning doesn't produce a pigment that naturally protects the skin from UV rays, nor does it stimulate the body's production of vitamin D.

May is National Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, and Dr. Kendra says it's a good time for people of all ages to start performing skin checks, once a month.

"Look behind the legs, have somebody look at your back, the back of the neck, the back of the ears, and particularly what you're looking for is any moles that are changing; it could be changes in color, changes in size, changes in shape."

Dr. Kendra, who is associate professor, clinical medical oncology at Ohio State University's James Cancer Hospital, says there are much safer ways to keep your skin looking good, without using a tanning bed.

"For those that like to have that pigment color in their skin, tanning creams and those sorts of things are much, much safer than using a tanning bed. But to look healthy, you eat healthy, you exercise, your skin will be healthy."

She says it's also important to take precautions in natural sunlight, by avoiding sun exposure between noon and 3 p.m., and using sunscreen, clothing, sunglasses and hats to protect your skin.

 

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