Local tanning salons offer UV-free sunless tanning options
Ashley Feibish / News Editor
With spring break a week away, it seems as though everyone
is running out to get a head start on his or her tans.
“(Business picked up) March 1. We’ve had more
than 300 customers a day,” said Al York, owner of A+
Tans on Huffman Mill Road.
The threat of cancer and wrinkled skin, conditions commonly
associated with tanning, does not seem to scare Elon students
away.
“If I tan, I spread it out,” said freshman Katie
Bell.
Bell continues to tan even though she is worried about skin
cancer.
About 7,000 people die from skin cancer every year, York
said. And more than 50,000 new cases of melanoma, a form of
skin cancer, are diagnosed in the United States every year,
according to a 2001 article on the WebMD Web site.
For those who think tanning indoors is a safe alternative to
natural sunlight, researchers found “molecular changes
linked to melanoma routinely occur after a single indoor
tanning session,” according to an article on
WebMD’s Web site.
Kitty Parrish, director of health services at Elon’s
R.N. Ellington Health Center, said tanning is not necessarily
a healthy choice to make. “UV light is very bad for
your skin and eyes,” she said, “Everyone should
wear SPF 15.”
Parrish said it is true that a little bit of sun is good for
you, but said the amount you get walking back and forth from
class is enough.
York said indoor tanning has its benefits; tanning provides
vitamin D and lowers blood pressure, he said.
For people who desire a tan, or those with fair skin,
Crystal Scales, a licensed practical nurse at Piedmont
Dermatology Center in Greensboro, said she recommends a less
authentic approach. “(Tanning) makes your skin look
leathery, gives you freckles and wrinkles. I recommend
self-tanner.”
With the looming threat of skin cancer, use of Mystic Tan
(UV-free spray on tanning) and other similar self-tanners has
grown rapidly in the last year. Mystic Tan takes
approximately one minute to spray evenly on the body and is
available at many tanning salons. The results last between
four and five days. The manufacturer markets the product as a
safe alternative to tanning because it does not damage the
skin and its components have been recently examined by the
Food and Drug Administration. The active ingredient in Mystic
Tan is dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
The Mystic Tan solution also contains bronzer and Aloe Vera
liquid.
The FDA recently issued a recommendation to “cover
eyes, protect lips and nasal passages, and avoid inhaling or
ingesting the mist,” York said.
Currently, the FDA has not set any regulations on the use of
DHA in Mystic Tan, according to York.
“Mystic Tan has goggles and something to protect your
mouth and nose if you want,” he said.
Although York has not yet purchased these items, he said he
plans on doing so soon.
Mystic Tan promotional materials state that more than 2
million people have used Mystic Tan with no side effects.
For those that insist on tanning, sunburns can be painful.
To minimize painful side effects, Parrish said sunbathers
should use cool cloths. And if the burn is severe, take
something for the pain. She also advised applying unscented
moisturizer after sun exposure.
“Be careful, use common sense,” Parrish said.
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