If you have been keeping up with the healthcare reform news, you have probably heard the criticism surrounding the proposed “Botax” or tax on elective cosmetic surgery procedures. But after much opposition and lobbying from pharmaceutical companies, the cosmetic surgery tax has been thrown out, and a new tax on tanning beds has been thrown in.

The new bill proposes a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning salons. This addition, plus a .9 percent increase in Medicare payroll tax for high earning households, is expected to generate about $86.8 billion dollars over a 6 year time span.

The former plan to tax cosmetic surgeries was highly opposed because it would be the first tax of its kind to place a levy on a medical service. A tax on tanning beds may be more widely accepted because it is known to cause harmful UV damage. However, like the “Botax” which was criticized for unfairly targeting middle class woman, the new tanning bed tax can also be opposed for this reason (as woman are by far the biggest consumers in the indoor tanning industry).

While we at Dermatology Associates of Atlanta may or may not agree with the proposed healthcare reform bill, we absolutely agree on the dangers of tanning bed use. While the harmful effects of tanning beds were long suspected, a study earlier this year confirmed the link between tanning beds and skin cancer.

Safe sun exposure should be practiced and tanning beds avoided at all costs! If you have used tanning beds in the past, make sure to come into schedule an appointment with one of our experienced dermatologists to get your moles checked.

If a tan glow is what you desire, there are safer options, like spray tans and bronzing makeup which can be used. Remember to never sacrifice the health of your skin!