FollowAmerican teen girls have been seen to be increasingly getting addicted to indoor tanning beds in spite of researchers linking such practices to an increase in instances of skin cancer in the country. What is even more alarming is that the trend has been found to be prevalent among 30 percent teen girls (as reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention) in a country where about 77,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma (skin cancer) while 9,500 die of it every year.
If the above figures and facts are not alarming enough, the American Suntanning Association has chosen to defend the teen girl’s new found penchant for the tanning bed claiming the critics should instead focus more on the middle aged men who are more prone to be affected with melanoma. The particular form of cancer has typically been linked to old men though young girls are the latest to be afflicted of it.
The CDC though is sticking to its finding claiming indulging in indoor tanning before the age of 35 can enhance the risk of melanoma by about 59 to even 75 percent. However, this did not seem to deter the girls from hitting the tanning beds regularly. As a study has revealed, about 30 percent girls having been exposed to indoor tanning in the past year, the figure goes up to 40 percent for 17 year olds and an astounding 44 percent for 18 years olds. Also, 17 percent have stated they have been for indoor tanning at least 10 times in the past year.
As for reasons to explain the girl’s new found obsession to put on a darker shade, there have been nothing convincing enough so far. However, the practice seems to be more prevalent in the South and the Midwest. The studies conducted so far claim to have found a direct relation between rising instances of skin cancer and indoor tanning practice though no direct proof as yet. The CDS though has suggested at preventive means such as making the kids aware of the risks posed by indoor tanning which can be done during their visits to the doctor.
