The Facts Anti-tan Lobbyists Dont Want You to Know

The Associated Press released an article about the findings of the Womens Lifestyle and Health Cohort Study that took place in Norway and Sweden. This study falsely claims that malignant melanoma can be directly linked to sun bed use. Planet Beach would like you provide some little known facts about the truth behind this study.

The Associated Press released an article today about the findings of the Womens Lifestyle and Health Cohort Study that took place in Norway and Sweden. This study falsely claims that malignant melanoma can be directly linked to sun bed use. Please take a moment consider the following:

•   Melanoma mortality rates among women under 50, under 40, under 30 and under 20 have DECREASED in the past 30 years according to the National Cancer Institute's own data. This would not be possible if melanoma incidence were truly increasing. Dr. Robert Swerlick, M.D., and Dr. Suephy Chen, M.D., wrote in a 1997 paper, published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, that "The large increase in the diagnosis of melanoma without commensurate increases in advanced tumors and mortality are not compatible with presumed malignant behavior on thin melanomas ... little available evidence suggests the presence of an actual increase in the frequency of biologically malignant tumors."

•   This study, like many others on the topic, did not account for confounding variables such as outdoor exposure to sunlight, childhood sunburns, type of tanning equipment utilized and duration and quantity of exposure.

•   This study cannot be applied to the North American population. Scandinavians, as a culture, are fair-skinned sun worshippers whose sun exposure patterns are highly intermittent. That combination makes them highly susceptible to sunburn - much more so than the North American population. In addition, European studies on this topic do not account for regulations in place in the United States governing maximum exposure times for people of all skin types.(© 2002 the International Smart Tan Network)

Abuse of anything will pose certain risks; abuse of the sun is no exception. This is why tanning at a reputable indoor tanning salon like Planet Beach is the smart" way to tan. Customers are not only educated on how to tan indoors but also how to avoid sunburn outdoors, how to use appropriate sunscreens and how to properly moisturize their skin.

Planet Beach Franchising Corporation is the Earths largest and fastest growing tanning salon franchise. Since opening in 1995 in New Orleans, LA, Planet Beach has gone on to award more than 400 locations and serve over 260,000 clients throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. For more information please log on to www.planetbeach.com.