The Risk of Tanning (日晒) This is just the time of
year when the temptation to hit a tanning salon (沙龙) is highest, particularly
for women, who make up an estimated 70 percent of tanning customers. With
wedding season around the corner, and beach weekends not far off, a lot of women
think they need some "healthy color" to look their best. But dermatologists
(皮肤专家) say that there is no such thing as a healthy "real" tan. "A tan is
essentially an injury to the skin," says Dr. Henry Lim, chairman of the
department of dermatology at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "Tanning is
just a reaction by the skin to try and protect itself." While
most people know they have to have sunscreen whenever they’re in the sun for
more than a few minutes, there’s a lot of confusion about the relative merits
and risks of tanning salons. Promoters say tanning machines are healthy because
they emit mostly ultraviolet (紫外线) A (UVA) rays, which cause most sunburns. But
dermatologists say there’s a growing stack of research that UVA rays are more
damaging than originally thought. The UVA rays generated by tanning beds
penetrate much deeper into the skin than the sun does, says Lim. For people
concerned about their skin’s appearance, that’s a big problem, since most
prematurely wrinkled, spotted and leathery skin can be blamed on exposure to
ultraviolet radiation. More troublesome is the increased risk of
skin cancer associated with UV rays. Sunburns have long been associated with
skin cancer, and Dr. Scott Fosko, chairman of dermatology at St. Louis
University School of Medicine, says people can get burned in tanning salons as
well as from the sun. "The tanning industry says tanning beds are a safe way to
get a tan, but I see a lot of people who use tanning beds who get burned," he
says. "They are not so simple." Those with the lightest skin need to be the most
careful. But even if you don’t get burned, skin experts say UVA
rays’ deep penetration into the skin causes genetic damage and increases the
risk of malignant melanoma (恶性黑色素), the most serious type of skin cancer.
Dermatologists are particularly distressed at the growing number of younger
people developing melanoma and other skin cancers. A recent review of skin
cancer studies, conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer,
concluded that people under 35 who use tanning beds increase their risk of
developing melanoma by 75 percent. Meanwhile, the Indoor Tanning Association
countered this unfavorable news by launching a media blitz in March accusing
dermatologists of ignoring the positive benefits of sun exposure, including the
natural production of vitamin D. Their new website, also launched in March, goes
as far as to say "there is no compelling evidence that UV exposure causes
melanoma". Many people start using tanning beds when they’re
teenagers, researchers say. A 2003 study done at Case Western Reserve University
found that nearly 40 percent of white American teens have used a tanning bed at
least once, and 47 percent of 18-and-19-year-olds say they’ve used them
repeatedly. "A lot of these places set up shop close to schools and place ads in
the school newspapers," Fosko says. That’s one reason most states have
instituted age restrictions and some now require parental permission or presence
on site. This type of regulation has limited effect, however. Not only is
enforcement spotty, Fosko says research indicates that many kids get hooked on
tanning because their parents are regular customers. More
government restrictions may be coming soon. While tanning equipment is currently
required to have warning labels, Congress last year passed the TAN Act, which
directed the Food and Drug Administration to determine what changes, if any,
need to be made to sunbeds’ warning labels to make them more noticeable,
accurate and understandable to consumers. The report is due in this
September. For those who want the look without the risk,
dermatologists recommend self-tanning products containing dihydroxyacetone (DHA)
as a safer alternative to real tans. These products simply stain the top layer
of skin; there’s no real change at the cellular level. While the first
generation of these products made the skin look more orange than tan, the
quality of the cosmetic effect has improved in recent years, and now the
difference is harder to detect. "These products are not dangerous, but they do
give you that tan glow," says Dr. Diane Berson, a dermatologist who practices in
New York City. Some manufacturers combine a moisturizer (护肤露) with a self-tanner
so you can accomplish two things at once. While the resulting "tan" will
eventually wash or flake off, you can maintain the look by reapplying the cream
every couple of days, as directed on the container. It’s
important to understand, however, that these bottle tans are only cosmetic. That
means you don’t have the kind of "base tan" that offers a little protection
against sunburn. Those whose skin is naturally pale are as vulnerable to burns
as they were before their skin turned artificially darker. You’ll need to
regularly apply sunscreen (15 SPF or higher) every couple of hours, anytime you
go out in the sun. What remains unclear, adds Lim, is whether
spray-on tans (which are also offered by many tanning bed salons) are themselves
completely safe. "We don’t have data that says whether the sprays, if inhaled,
would cause any harm," he said. "The presumption is that they are safe, but we
have no data at this point." Doctors also warn against so-called tanning pills,
which are illegal for sale in the U.S. but can often be found on the
Internet. Dermatologists are hoping that those who prefer a tan
will at least try to achieve the look without doing long-term damage to their
skin. "If you look at the older movie stars," Berson says, "you’ll see that the
ones who still look great are the ones who stayed out of the sun and didn’t
allow their skin to get tan, dry and wrinkled." So if you want to look like a
movie star, why not try to look like one of the smart ones. What is the attitude of Fosko toward tanning salons