Tanning Beds Associated with higher chance of Melanoma

Recent studies confirmed what we intuitively believed, that those that partake of "indoor tanning" aka tanning beds (especially if starting before age 35) are more prone to get diagnosed with a MELANOMA at some time in their life. Previously, "bad sun burns" before the age of 15 were known to be associated with this also. For a while the tanning beds were thought to be less harmful than the sun for photo-aging and other types of skin cancers such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. This still holds somewhat true for the basal and squamous cell skin cancers but recent studies show significant photo aging (sun damage causing you to look older) due to the effect of tanning beds. Take my advice as a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Naples, Florida…pastie is beautiful…especially if you are fair skinned and burn easily. If you must have the 'Bronzed Beauty' look in Naples or Fort Myers…get a fake tan (sprayed on) or applied after a good loofah scrub.