By: Ross Keller, 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
Do you use tanning beds? Image: Gerlach (Pixabay)
Summer will be here soon, and after being stuck inside all winter, it will be welcomed with open arms.
But as we plan trips to beaches and lakes around the country, a lot of us (including myself) will look at our pale arms and legs and think of ways to get that bronze glow to go along with the summer sun.
Millions of people will soon be soaking up the sun’s rays or purchasing a tanning membership in an effort to achieve a sun-kissed look, but take heed: there is one big reason to rethink lying in the sun or under the lamps of a tanning bed.
There are misconceptions that one way of tanning is less damaging than the other—some circles claim natural sunlight is good for your skin, while others believe the artificial lights of the tanning beds are actually better than sunlight.
In reality, both are dangerous, and the danger lies in the increased risk of developing skin cancer.
