My daughter is almost 17, and she is going on her senior class trip to Mexico. She says she wants to “pre-tan” in a tanning bed, because she is so pale, and she tells me that is better for her than just getting sun exposure in Mexico. It kind of makes sense to me, but I also hear that tanning beds are not good for you. What should I tell her?
Tell her that tanning beds are known to cause skin damage, with premature aging. It increases the risk in all people, but the risk in teenagers is particularly high, so you should not agree that a tanning bed is better for her. If she is worried about getting a sunburn in Mexico, that is very easy to avoid by using a sunscreen that has a SPF factor of at least 30, and to avoid the sun at its strongest during the 12-2 time period, when it is possible.
To learn more about tanning beds and skin cancer, watch this video from VideoMD.com.
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