How likely is it for me to get skin cancer from tanning beds?

Im not asking this question to be judged and critisized for going to tanning beds occaisionally. Im pretty fair skinned and get moles (i hate that term) easily from the sun. I hear the warnings everywhere, but if there is anyone who reads this and is somewhat a professional in these matters or knows what they are talking about .. (not a 'tanning technician' from places like fabutan) How dangerous is it for me to be doing this often if im careful and check for signs?

How likely is it for me to get skin cancer from tanning beds?
It doesn't matter how careful you are or how often you look for signs. The damage to your skin from UVA and UVB is gradual, cumulative and if you are lucky you might not notice anything for quite a while. The fact is that if you are fair skinned it is simply a matter of time before you get your first skin cancer. It may be two years, may be five years, may be thirty years but eventually you will develop skin cancers if you tan regularly. Tanning also ages you skin where it loses it's natural elasticity and ability to hold moisture. Very dry scaly skin looks ugly, is uncomfortable and is irreversible, so even if you are able to avoid skin cancers you need to realize there is a long term cost to be paid for that golden glow.
Reply:If you don't go that often, I don't believe that you are at a high risk. I probably go once a month or so myself. Pay attention to color changes and sizes of moles. Also pay attention if any of your moles are raised and make sure to have them looked at by a physician. Skin cancer (not that I am promoting it), although is one of the more common forms of cancer, is also highly treatable. Anyone who has ever had a bad sunburn, even just once in their life, is at risk. Yes, the more you tan, the more you are at risk. But I don't think it's a big deal if you're going just on occasion...
Reply:What type of UV rays are they using? UVA, UVB, UVC (they should not be using this or any higher). A lot of the common UVA and UVB rays, like you are exposed to in suntanning naturally may eventually cause cancer but if you do not overdo it (like limiting your exposure for 20 minutes) may be okay for the odd tan.
Reply:My mother in law tanned for years in the springtime to get ready for the summer. She is now in her fifties and has had numberous cancer spots removed from her arms and chest area. I used to tan and now I don't. Tanning is a major cause of premature aging!





Saw this on Yahoo home page today'





People who use tanning beds do not protect themselves from skin damage from subsequent sun exposure, an international research group has concluded. In fact, use of sunbeds before age 35 substantially increases the risk of developing melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, the investigators found.











"Young adults should be discouraged from using indoor tanning equipment and restricted access to sunbeds by minors should be strongly considered," the Working Group on artificial UV light and skin cancer of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concludes in the March 1 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.





The group reviewed all studies done up until March 2006 to investigate the relationship between sunbed use and skin cancer.





Men and women who ever used sunbeds were 15 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the researchers found, based on 19 studies they reviewed. A review of seven studies found that exposure to tanning beds before age 35 boosted melanoma risk by 75 percent.





While three studies of a less-deadly type of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, also found increased risk with sunbed exposure, research did not support a link with basal cell carcinoma, another common type of skin cancer.





Given that sunbed use has become widespread only relatively recently, and that both melanoma and basal cell carcinoma have a long latency period, the current study may not have been able to detect all potential risk, the researchers note.





Nevertheless, they say, current evidence is strong enough to suggest that tanning bed use causes skin cancer, especially if exposure to sunbeds occurs before the age of 35.





"The strength of the existing evidence suggests that policy makers should strongly consider enacting measures such as restricting minors and discouraging young adults from using indoor tanning equipment, in order to protect the general population from additional risk for melanoma and squamous cell skin cancer," the IARC group concludes.





SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, March 1, 2007.
Reply:Well Cancer is better avoided than cured. As it is to the misfortune of us humans we dont know causative agents of most cancers, so for the ones we do know we should exercise restraint
Reply:At the age of 24 I was diagnosed with skin cancer under my right eye. It started as a freckle and would itch, sometimes crack and bleed when I would wash my face. My family physician told me not to worry about it, as well as a dermatologist, however I was not comfortable with their opinions. In September I went to a new dermatologist who took a biopsy- came back as Basal Cell Carcinoma- from sun exposure, i.e. tanning beds. I have treated it with Aldara cream and as of now all is well.


Keep in mind I was by no means a "sun worshiper" but I did tan frequently through high school. Nowadays, I wear a SPF 15 on my face at all times.

oxalis