In this recent report by the New York Times, the use of indoor tanning beds has been associated with rising rates of skin cancer, especially in young women. Tanning beds give off 10-15 times the amount of UVA radiation as normal skin exposure to the sun, accelerating the process of skin damage. In fact, the most serious type of skin cancer, known as melanoma, has increased 8-fold for women under 40 since the 1970s. This year, the FDA recommended new labels on tanning beds that recommend that they not be used on individuals under the age of 18. Several states, (not including Nevada) outright ban or otherwise restrict the use of tanning beds for minors. Our recommendation as physicians and as your board-certified Las Vegas Plastic Surgeons, is to always use a good broad-based sunblock with an SPF factor of 30 or greater, to cover up when possible outside, and to ask your physician about any suspicious moles or lesions on the body. Las Vegas is a city with an average of 210 sunny days per year, make sure you cover up!
Tanning beds – Don’t do it!