Ban the Tan!
Nowadays teens are obsessed with looks. Some will do
anything to be beautiful, no matter the consequence. They put others down and
themselves down. With summer coming up, they want to look their best for all
those cute beach boys/girls, and will go to extremes to try to look perfect.
Tanning beds have become extremely popular for teenagers; it’s an easy way to
tan without having to sit out in the blaring sun for hours and hours. But are
tanning beds as awesome as they seem? Sure they are if you don’t mind improving
your chance of getting melanoma—a deadly skin cancer by 75%! Intrigued? Well I
suggest you read the rest of this article for a full understanding of just how
awful they can be.
The Province of BC has announced that this upcoming fall,
it will be illegal for kids under the age of 18 to use a commercial tanning bed
unless they have a doctor’s permission. The leader of this new law is Health
Minister Mike de Jong. He has been working with Doctors and politicians to prove
that tanning beds are indeed very bad for you. Why are tanning beds so
dangerous—you may ask? Cancer experts and scientists have confirmed that tanning
beds are even more deadly than the sun. Tanning beds use UVA rays, which are
2-3 times more harmful than the sun because they penetrate the skin and cause
long-lasting damage to cells, many of which are in the immune system. At first tanning may give you a burn and
blisters, but it can get worse and worse. Some long-term effects of tanning
beds are eye damage, immune
system changes, cataracts, wrinkles and premature aging of the skin, and skin
cancers. The biggest issue tanning beds can lead to is melanoma (which I mentioned
before.) Melanoma is the DEADLIEST skin cancer there is, and guess what one of
the major causes of melanoma is? TANNING BEDS. The BC Cancer Agency has
estimated that this year, in British Columbia alone, 966 people will be
diagnosed with Melanoma, and 150 will DIE from it. If you don’t want to be one
of those 150 people, then stay away from tanning beds! Not only are tanning
beds bad for teenagers (and adults) physically, but they can also affect them
mentally. Tanning beds send a message; that you shouldn’t feel comfortable in
your own skin and you should try to change the way you look.
If tanning beds are so dangerous, then why do people use
them? One of the main reasons is because they are obsessed with their looks,
and when they see other people with glowing bronze skin, they want to look just
as good as them. It’s almost like peer pressure; others feel that they have to
get tans to fit in. In our society, many people consider tans “cool” and they
think it makes them look better. Girls especially are obsessing over tans. This
month tanning beds are very popular for teens because graduation is coming up
and they want to look their best! Another reason is ignorance. Many teens don’t
know about the risks of tanning beds, so they have no reason not to go. They
are not aware of the harm because perhaps their parents have not influenced them
not to use them. There are 12 year-olds using tanning beds! Some parents either
don’t know or just don’t care; which is wrong! When people tan regularly, they
can become addicted to it. Like drugs or cigarettes, they just can’t become
satisfied. So they keep going back for more and more and no matter how tanned
they get, they feel that they still aren’t tanned enough. A big supporter of
the new law, Kathy Barnard steps up and reveals her story. Kathy is a cancer (melanoma)
survivor, and the cause of her cancer was tanning beds. She explained that when
she was a teen, tanning became an obsession, which lead to her having to get
many surgeries afterwards. She is now working to teach teens that you don’t
need to be tanned to have perfect skin. "Be
proud of the skin you're in,” Kathy stressed. "Own it, protect it, save
it. I know now that I would rather be alive with the skin I was given than die
in the skin I so desperately wanted to have.”
There are absolutely no pros to using tanning
beds. Some may disagree and say something along the lines of “At least my skin
will look more radiant.” BUT risking your life to have a little darker skin is
NOT a pro. In fact, it’s a con. However, arguably, there are cons to the new
law. Some parents may feel that it’s
their choice as to if their teen can use a tanning bed or not. They don’t
believe that the government should be telling them what to let their children
do. Also, it could cause teens to rebel and attempt to illegally use a tanning
bed.
I have never used a tanning bed before (I’m
only 14!) and I never plan on it either. I agree with Kathy; we should be proud
of the skin we were given, and tanning isn’t going to make you look any more
beautiful. Personally, I sometimes actually find very dark tans unattractive.
There is nothing wrong with pale skin. Skin tone shouldn’t matter because it’s
really what’s in the inside that counts. Sure, a nice natural tan from being
outside in the summer time looks nice, but there is no reason for someone to
need to go to a tanning both; especially with all of the precautions out there nowadays.
If someone feels they NEED to go to a tanning salon to look good, then it just
shows that they lack confidence. Don’t get me wrong, tans can looks really
nice. If someone wants to have a nice tan for graduation, a vacation, etc, then
go for it! BUT just don’t use a tanning bed. A much safer option would be to
try a spray on tan; it’s temporary and a lot less harmful. I am proud that the
province I live in has this new law, because it shows that we are educated on
health and that our government really does care about teen health. The only
reason I would agree for someone to use a tanning bed would be for medical reasons.
The ultraviolet rays can be used to treat some health conditions, but that
should be the ONLY acceptation. Do I think that it’s totally okay for people
over the age of 18 to use tanning beds? NO. Just because they aren’t a teenager
anymore; it doesn’t mean that tanning beds are harmless to them. The government
is probably hoping that by the age of 18, they will be a lot more mature and
capable of looking out for their own health and making the right decision. Overall,
I agree with the decision of banning tanning beds for youths under the age of 18;
it’s going to save lives!
Feel good in your own skin. Everyone is
unique in their own way, and there is no such thing as “perfect” because
everyone is equally beautiful. Spare yourselves the various dangers that come
with tanning beds and don’t use them!
Sites I used for my info:
