Researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital are working on a viral vaccine that fights melanoma cells, and recently melanoma genes have been identified. Still, the Daily News reports that the best way to prevent skin cancer is to avoid exposure to sun, and to minimize damage by using protective clothing and sun block. Also  recommended are  monthly self-examination from head to foot to look for changes on moles that have ABCDE characteristics: asymmetry, border, color, diameter and evolving. A yearly check up with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon is critical.

Researchers say a new study from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Center definitively links the use of indoor tanning devices to increased risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

This research study involving 2,268 Minnesotans is the largest of its kind. It found:

• People who use any type of tanning bed for any amount of time are 74% more likely to develop melanoma, and;
• Frequent users of indoor tanning beds are 2.5 to 3 times more likely to develop melanoma than those who never use tanning devices. The study defines frequent uses as people who used indoor tanning for 50-plus hours, more than 100 sessions, or for 10-plus years. This increased risk applies similarly to all ages and genders.

It’s not often that you see “new study” and “definitive” in the same sentence, so this research should help put away any lingering doubt about the link between indoor tanning and melanoma. We know that overexposure to UV rays is destructive and in some cases, deadly. As I tell my patients, the only safe way to achieve a summer glow is to use a bronzer.

A new change in the health care reform is requiring tanning salons to charge a 10 percent tax on all indoor tanning services. It is hoped that the new tax on tanning salons will send a strong message to the public that indoor tanning has real risks, and potentially lower the number of young people visiting tanning salons on a regular basis.

 The medical profession has known for a long time that tanning is dangerous and increases a person’s risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer cases are at an all-time high in the United States; more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year. Melanoma, which is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, has also become the most common cancer among women ages 25 to 29. Multiple studies have shown the earlier a person begins to go to tanning salons, the greater the risk of skin cancer later in life.

Despite the cancer warnings, young people still visit tanning salons in increasingly large numbers, especially young women.

The only safe way to tan is to use sunless bronzer. The Sunless Tanning Bronzer offers you a brilliant radiance all year round, with SPF-15 protection to leave your skin smooth and supple. This  unique bronzer gives your skin the color you want, without the harmful effects of sun exposure. 

Say NO to the sun and tanning salons and YES to Dr Michelle Copeland’s Sunless Tanning Bronzer for a  beautiful, natural-looking glow that boosts your your skin with a blend of antioxidants and vitamins.