Tanning-bed truths

Shape, May, 2005

Craving a sun-kissed look, but concerned about the safety of commercial tanning beds? Don't trust the salon operator to give you the facts, a new Consumer Reports investigation concludes. Among the 296 tanning facilities polled, more than one-third of salon operators said indoor tanning caused neither skin cancer nor wrinkles. The truth: A mere 20 minutes in a tanning booth is equivalent to an entire day at the beach without sunscreen.

In fact, researchers in Sweden found that people younger than age 30 who use tanning beds or lamps more than 10 times a year are seven times more likely to develop melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. "If you must tan, get it from tanning creams and lotions," advises Kansas City, Mo., dermatologist Audrey Kunin, M.D. "And wear sunscreen."--A.P.