Many teens are heading to tanning salons in the mistaken belief that salon tans are safe. Artificial tanning is not risk-free.

The intensity of ultraviolet radiation produced by tanning beds is 10-15 times higher than the sun. UVR is a known human carcinogen. Utah has the nation’s highest rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and it is becoming more common in adolescents.

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Teens are enticed by salon packages of unlimited visits and the promise of beauty. Often warning signs are not prominent, and risk counseling is inaccurate.

Tanning causes skin wrinkling, age spots and skin cancers. UVR from tanning beds penetrates the skin more deeply, causing more immediate problems: retina damage, cataracts, inflamed blood vessels, itching and allergic rashes.

Although sunscreen can prevent sunburn, it has not been shown to prevent melanoma or basal cell carcinoma. There is no such thing as a healthy tan.

Pediatricians stand with the World Health Organization, American Medical Association and American Academy of Dermatology in supporting legislation limiting access to tanning salons by teens under age 18, except with parental permission or under the supervised care of a medical provider.

Karen Buchi, M.D. Past president, Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

Salt Lake City