East Carolinian

Issue date: 7/16/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Photos.com

According to Dr. William Burke, residency program director and professor of medicine at ECU's Brody School of Medicine, many students worry about what to eat and how to exercise but not about their skin.

"I see students that do everything in their power to stay healthy, and then they're tan," said Dr. Burke. "It's crazy. Tan skin is unhealthy skin."

Yet, students flock to the tanning bed, beach or pool for that golden tan every year. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 2.3 million American young people use tanning beds each year in the U.S.

According to Dr. Burke, it is estimated that we get 80 percent of our sun exposure by the time we are 21.

Many students have heard the warnings. Tanning can result in premature skin aging; damage to the immune system and of course, cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology; however, the myth that tan skin is healthy still pervades our society.

Mallory Osbrown, tanning bed operator at the Sunshine Factory Tanning Salon in Greenville and an ECU graduate student, says that tanning beds are popular among college students and thinks that tanning at this age is worth the risks.

"Despite the warnings, I think there are good effects that come from tanning beds," Osbrown said.

Like Osbrown, people think that getting Vitamin D from the sun is a healthy reason to tan, but only a little bit of sun gives people the recommended amount of Vitamin D.

In fact, "you only need 15 minutes of face and arm [sun] exposure to get the needed amount of Vitamin D," Dr. Burke said.

Dr. Burke says that one in three people from the Southern U.S., like here in North Carolina, will develop basal cell skin cancer in their lifetime. This type of cancer can cause loss of appendages.

An estimated one in 70 will develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Another scary statistic is that 1.3 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Although the statistics are out there, Dr. Burke says that many younger Americans are more concerned about how they look than about developing skin cancer.

The Skin Cancer Foundation's official Web site says "There's nothing wrong with your natural skin tone: it shows you're smart about sun protection, which will keep you looking younger longer. But for people who want some color without sacrificing their skin, sunless tanning lotions and sprays provide a safe option."

So how can you stay safe in the sun this summer?

When going out in the sun, Dr. Burke suggests putting on an SPF 15 sunscreen, 30 minutes before getting some rays, and applying it again every two to three hours after that.

After years of warnings and statistics, many young Americans still opt for tan skin, but Dr. Burke says that those who put their looks over their health will not be happy later.

"The American Cancer society has a saying, 'fry now, pay later' and it's true," Dr. Burke said.

For more information about skin cancer and prevention, visit skincancer.org.



This writer can be contacted at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.

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