Proud member of the ‘Sun Scare’ Industry

While catching up on the pulse of the nation, I just happened to notice that we have been rebranded as part of the ‘Sun Scare’ Industry. Yes, we have been guilty of giving out “misinformation” about the harms and risks of ultraviolet radiation and been active participants in recommending sun blocks and sunscreens to hapless millions at a cost (and our personal benefit?) of billions of dollars. I have also sadly come to learn too that plastic surgeons and other well meaning physicians within this industry are vastly outnumbered, as there are more sun tanning salons in the U.S. than McDonald’s. The tanning industry is no lightweight, and polls have indicated that 90% of those who work within its ranks believe that sunbed exposure causes no health risk! This is something you have to see for yourself, and we suggest www.SunlightScam.com so you too can appreciate where the argument is going.

The tanning industry has rounded up notable endorsements, even from a few physicians who feel that the skin cancer link to sun exposure is a weak one, but they don’t stop there. The key to their defense of the sun is vitamin D. Vitamin D, of course, is an essential vitamin and the lack of it even has its own disease, rickets. Proper bone formation and bone strength relies on vitamin D, even for adults. Our skin becomes a vitamin D factory when exposed to sunlight. And, for all of you lactose intolerant out there, other than your skin, dairy products are the only place you can get it: not meat, vegetables, fruit, or breads. The salon staffs are no longer the agent of photo aging, wrinkles, and skin cancer, but Vitamin D Angels, spreading a warm happy glow and good health. Could it be as well that tanning beds and the vitamin D produced also prevents cancer? You got this right. Some have proposed that vitamin D also prevents cancer of the colon and breast, and the tanning salon is really about cancer prevention. I have to admit I really did not see this one coming.

Unfortunately, the link to cancer prevention and vitamin D is a very weak one. However, the link of sun and ultraviolet exposure is a very strong one. Skin cancer rates are up by 50% according to the National Cancer Institute, especially in young women -- perhaps many of those young women, 28 million visits to tanning salons each year and growing, are in that number. It is a fact that skin cancer kills young women, something the Australian’s have come to know all too well. They believe strongly as a nation the link and risk of sun exposure and ultraviolet exposure. Did you happen to notice the beach volley ball in the recent Olympics? The American team was wearing, well, not too much and was great for ratings; however the Australian team had ‘full cover’ of arms and legs. I may be proud to be American, though I am also proud to be a member of the Sun Scare Industry. Go Australia, you are right on this one.