Did you know that tanning beds can boost the risk of skin cancer especially for young people? That’s why Great Britain banned the use of tanning beds by children. There is a move in the United States to ban them for teenagers also.

As of April 2011, twelve states had proposed bills for age restrictions for the use of commercial tanning salons. Deborah Sarnoff, of the Skin Cancer Foundation, calls tanning beds cancer coffins. That’s because malignant melanoma, the kind of cancer caused by tanning beds, kills people including young people.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, indoor tanning before age 35 increases the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, to 75%. The World Health Organization recently added tanning beds to its group one list of cancer causing substances. By the way, cigarettes are also in group one. More and more studies show that tanning beds are actually more dangerous than the sun. The fact is that more and more young women are having multiple disfiguring surgeries to remove cancer caused by tanning beds.

A study by San Diego State University, found that some cities have more tanning salons than McDonald's or Starbucks! And that every day, one million people use a tanning bed spending an estimated $5 billion a year. The world health organization classifies tanning beds as the same cancer risk as the sun, and we all know that too much sun can cause skin cancer.

Some young people today are so consumed with how they look they completely ignore well documented evidence about the dangers of tanning booths and the sun for that matter. As one young college student from Pennsylvania said, "I'm going to Florida for spring break, and I do not intend to look like Casper the friendly ghost."

Why does using a tanning bed make you feel good?

When we look in the mirror and like what we see our brain releases a feel-good chemical. Studies have shown that using a tanning bed releases beta endorphins. Beta endorphins are known as the feel good hormone because it numbs or dulls pain. When researchers replaced the ultra violet bulbs with standard florescent bulbs, frequent tanning bed users actually showed signs of withdrawals.

How to talk to your daughter about the dangers of tanning salons.

How do you have a conversation with your daughter about the dangers of tanning booths? You've been down this road before with her trying to apply logic to overcome an emotion. The pressure to fit in and look good is so powerful that asking your daughter to read this article probably won't help. There is a possibility, however, that some young women will be motivated enough to stop using a tanning booth if given the opportunity to see the future. Why not try some tough love? Go to Google images and search for melanoma skin cancer. Or you can click here

Spotting skin cancer

Each year there are more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the United States and more than 10,000 people die from the disease. The best way to diagnose and treat skin cancer is with early detection. Early detection means that if your physician does not include a total body exam in your annual physical, you should ask for one. The alternative to asking your physician for a total body exam, is to ask the person you sleep with to do it. If he or she finds any anomalies, you can take a close-up digital picture of that particular spot and ask your doctor to look at it. If your physician believes that further examination is necessary, then you can proceed with that.