As I lounged by the pool, my attention was drawn to a young woman who had just removed her sandals and cover-up before stepping into the water. I knew I should avert my gaze; she couldn’t have been older than 17, and I found myself in the uncomfortable position of being a 35-year-old onlooker. Yet, I was captivated.
It wasn’t her youthful physique—though her flat stomach and absence of love handles were certainly enviable. No, what truly struck me was something more alarming: the unnatural shade of her tan.
I quickly assessed her skin tone based on her hair and eye color. It was early June and following a bitterly cold winter; there were no tan lines on her shoulders, back, or legs, which indicated an artificial glow likely achieved through tanning beds.
I felt compelled to approach her, to share my own experience—a reminder of the importance of sunscreen. A scar on my forehead serves as a permanent testament to my battle with skin cancer; a melon-sized lump I had removed revealed the harsh reality of basal cell carcinoma. Despite never having used a tanning bed, I received this diagnosis at just 35. Had I engaged in the same reckless tanning habits that many of my peers did in college, I fear my story could have been much worse.
I longed to tell her about the dangers of tanning beds and the grim statistics surrounding skin cancer. Did you know that nearly 420,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year due to indoor tanning? Or that tanning leads to more skin cancer cases than lung cancer caused by smoking?
One session in a tanning bed increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma by 67 percent, and just a few more sessions raise the risk of basal cell carcinoma by 73 percent. Alarmingly, the incidence of melanoma among young adults has surged by 800 percent over the last forty years, making it the deadliest form of skin cancer. Shockingly, 76 percent of melanoma cases among individuals aged 18 to 29 can be traced back to tanning bed use. If you’ve tanned before 35, your chances of developing melanoma jump by 75 percent. This year alone, nearly 10,000 people will succumb to melanoma.
I wanted to implore her, on behalf of the future children she has yet to conceive, to steer clear of tanning beds. Instead, I merely observed and, with a hint of urgency, announced to my kids that it was time for a sunscreen reapplication.
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In summary, while the allure of a bronzed complexion may seem appealing, prioritizing skin health through proper sun protection is crucial. Let my experience serve as a reminder to embrace your natural skin tone, protect your health, and educate others.
Keyphrase: Importance of Sunscreen
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