The recent passage of the healthcare reform bill and the attached 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning salons has tanning bed goers everywhere in an uproar. But if you have read any of our blogs or visited any of the physicians at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta, you know that we are STRONGLY AGAINST the use of indoor tanning beds because of the negative repercussions it can have on your overall skin health.
A recently released official statement from The American Academy of Dermatology agrees with us saying, “Indoor tanning is dangerous. There is compelling, irrefutable scientific evidence which shows that indoor tanning beds can increase your risk for skin cancer. A tax on indoor tanning services serves as a signal from the federal government to young people that indoor tanning is dangerous and should be avoided.”
Some statistics they use to support their opinions include the fact that using tanning beds before the age of 35 increases a person’s risk for melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) by 75 percent!
The American Academy of Dermatology is openly supportive of the healthcare reform tanning tax, noting that it helps to further the goal of promoting wellness and prevention as part of overall healthcare reform – feeling that it will discourage more people from practicing indoor tanning.
Dermatology Associates of Atlanta has no official position in support or in opposition to the healthcare reform bill, but we do have a position on the safety of indoor tanning: Tanning beds are a definite cause of skin cancer and should be avoided!
If you have any suspicious sun damage spots or would just like an overall skin cancer check, schedule a consultation with one of our board certified dermatologists today. And remember – don’t use the tanning bed!
