Aside from the ambitious biology student, the typical teenager in all probability doesn't give a lot of thought to the American Medical Association. But with the far-reaching influence it has on their lives, you'd think they may start paying concentration.
- First, they made smoking in the boys' room absolutely uncool. (Drag!)
- In May of 2006, they strike a deal with major soda companies to pull pop from school grounds. (That is so not sweet.)
- Now the AMA is recommend that commercial tanning beds be restricted. (Huh?)
The dark side of tanning beds.
That’s right. Commercial tanning beds are among the AMA's front page offender to youth health. Trips to the tanning salon no longer top the teenage agenda only around prom time. A rising number of high school teens, both male and female, are lining up to lie down in tanning beds. This presentation at any age concerns dermatologists, but early, heavy use of commercial tanning beds warrants our notice for more reasons than melanoma. Here's why:
- Endorphins. Ultraviolet light, the type of glow generated by commercial tanning beds, produce these feel-good hormones. Teens that frequently enjoy this flood of good feelings are likely to come back for more, and the younger they are, the more prone they are to expand addictions. In fact, physicians sometimes set down drugs, alike to those agreed to meth addicts, to people who undergo from withdrawal symptoms upon quitting tanning.
- Self-esteem. Teenagers are more vulnerable to low self-esteem and indistinct body image than any other age group. If a rich, dark tan can provide a psychological boost, tanning beds become a quick fix for a deeper problem.
- Peer pressure. The Achilles heel of adolescents. When friends seek out commercial tanning beds, friends frequently follow suit. This puts the fair-skinned and freckled in a mainly precarious situation, as even limited exposure can cause lasting damage.
Laying down the law.
Many states, as well as California, North Carolina, and Florida, have already passed legislation restricting teen access to commercial tanning beds, and legislation has been proposed in many more. California, for example, bans anyone under the age of 14 from using commercial tanning beds. Teens fewer than 18 need to arm themselves with parental consent forms to soldier past the checkpoints at commercial tanning bed salons.
A healthy tan.
Of course, not all the news about tanning beds is bad. Heliotherapy, the limited use of tanning and tanning beds, causes the brain to produce the hormone melatonin, which has shown promise in treating psoriasis, chronic pain, and insomnia. Melatonin has also demonstrated achievement in fighting cancer.
The parent's dilemma.
When your teen comes calling for a signature, don't be surprised if they attempt to smuggle a tanning form in with their school permission slips. Talk with them about their reasons for wanting to tan, and decide if they're good enough. After all, tanning is a health issue, both physical and mental.