Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • Free Essays • My Term Papers • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Health & Beauty The Darker Side of Tanning The Darker Side of Tanning These days, tanning is taken very lightly. It is portrayed as a beauty enhancement. No one ever states the dangerous side affects. The tanning industry has grown immensely in the last decade. Right along with the growing industry the rate of skin cancer is also increasing. Young teenage are tanning more and more everyday and they are never truly told the future side affects that they might encounter. Let me give you a little idea of what consequences you might face later on in the future if you should decide to tan in a tanning bed. I'll call this.............. If you are one of the millions of Americans that wishes for a year-round tan, you might choose to climb into a tanning bed where you are surrounded by UV light from above and below your body. Many older models of tanning beds use short-wave ultraviolet rays (UVB), while the newer models use the long-wave rays (UVA) proven to be less harmful than UVB, according to the Federal Trade Commission. While salons claim UVA rays are safe, experts suspect they may provide a link to malignant melanoma. The UVA rays penetrate deeper, weakening the skin's connective tissue. Over-exposure to these long-wave rays also cause premature aging in the skin, giving it a wrinkled, leathery appearance, and can impair the immune system. Research also shows that over-exposure to UVA can damage your eyes. The retina becomes damaged and the lens of your eyes become clouded, causing cataracts. A tan is often mistaken as a sign of good health. In reality, a suntan is an indication of the skin's response to recent skin damage. This pigment is designed to act as a shield which, when present, serves to slightly decrease skin damage from further UV light exposure. Skin aging and cancer are delayed effects that don't usually show up for many years after the exposure. Unfortunately, since the damage is not immediately visible, young people are often unaware of the dangers of tanning. Physicians and scientists are especially concerned that cases of skin cancer will continue to increase as people who are now in their teens and twenties reach middle age. Some people think that the different types of skin cancers are easily curable. But unfortunately they are not. Malignant melanoma is often fatal, if not detected early. The number of cases of melanoma is rising in the U.S., with an estimated 38,300 cases and 7,300 deaths anticipated this year. Artificial tanners are a perfectly safe alternative to UV exposure for those seeking a bronzed look. It is important to realize, however, that these products are not sunscreens and do not, by themselves, prevent sunburn or sun damage if the skin is exposed to the sun after their use. Bibliography: Word Count: 462
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