We've all heard about it. It made headlines last week: "CDC
says Indoor Tanning Causes Skin Cancer." Whether
skin cancer has touched your life through media, or perhaps even a personal
experience, we all now know that tanning beds and tanning in general isn't a
good idea. But we continue to lay out.
So let's go a little
deeper than the tanning bed. Studies are now showing a chemical addition to
tanning. It is being called 'the new form of substance abuse.' Some of
the reported benefits of frequent tanning — mood enhancement and relaxation —
are also consistent with addiction. Furthermore, many frequent tanners report
difficulty quitting.
Frequent
tanners exhibit signs of both physical and psychological dependence.
When a
substance causes physical
dependency, repeated use of that substance causes symptoms
of increased tolerance, craving, and withdrawal. UV light has been shown to
increase release of opioid- like endorphins, feel-good chemicals that relieve
pain and generate feelings of well-being, potentially leading to dependency.
Sounds like the deck is stacked against us, right? Plus, we are always hearing
that vitamin D is best when received from the sun (just no more than 15 minutes
a day).
Psychological dependence refers to the effect of a substance on the
brain’s reward system and its memory of rewards. The production of sensations
of pleasure or well-being encourages repeated use. When we receive the suns
golden rays or the rays from a tanning bed, we essentially feel good. Who wouldn't want to give that up?
Part of catching this preventable disease early is fairly easy. When’s
the last time you had a professional head to toe skin care exam? Here are the ABCDE’s warning signs of melanoma
that you can look for:
Asymmetry- One half of a mole doesn't match the other half
Border: The border is irregular,
notched, blurred or ragged.
Color: The mole or lesion has a
variety of colors, including shades of brown, tan or black, sometimes with
patches of pink, red, white or blue.
Diameter: The suspicious area is
new or at least a quarter-inch in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser).
Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape or color.
By keeping an eye on your skin and a routinely scheduled skin checkup
in your planner, you have the power to completely avoid this disease. Here are some things you can do right away:
-Apply SPF 15 or higher sunscreen everyday (yes, even in winter.)
-Don’t burn!
-Seek shade between 10 am and 4 pm when sun is the strongest
