Derms Call For Tighter Regs

A recent article popped up and foretold the relative blueprint for the dermatological community’s continued assault on the indoor tanning industry. After reading numbers touting epidemic proportions of skin cancer, statistics indicating that a number of young females have tried indoor tanning at least once, a calling for states to take action to prohibit “children” from indoor tanning and a recommendation for a surgeon general’s warning on all tanning products, I had enough and sent the following response to the author, Diana Clarke.

Dear Author, 

Regarding your article found on the Web site, Tanningcenters.net, I would like to share a few comments. Although many of Dr. Spencer’s statements are accurate, the following should be noted.

1. A call for a warning from the surgeon general on indoor tanning. The indoor tanning industry already has strict labeling. All tanning beds and booths in the United States must carry the following warning label as per the Food and Drug Administration’s standards (21 CFR 1040.20):

“DANGER—Ultraviolet radiation. Follow instructions. Avoid overexposure. As with natural sunlight, overexposure can cause eye and skin injury and allergic reactions. Repeated exposure may cause premature aging of the skin and skin cancer. WEAR PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR; FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN SEVERE BURNS OR LONG-TERM INJURY TO THE EYES. Medications or cosmetics may increase your sensitivity to the ultraviolet radiation. Consult a physician before using a sunlamp if you are taking medications, have a history of skin problems or believe yourself to be especially sensitive to sunlight. If you do not tan in the sun, you are unlikely to tan from the use of this product.”

2. Disallowing safety claims. This is already part of the FDA’s regulation. Claims that may reduce the effect of the above warning or refer to the relative safety of these products are forbidden by the FDA and monitored by the Federal Trade Commission.

3. Statistics indicating increased usage by young females. Per the American Cancer Society’s most recent SEER report on cancer trends (http://seer.cancer.gov/statistics/) the incidence and fatality rates for melanoma actually are higher for men than women. As indoor tanners are estimated at 75 percent female, wouldn’t it follow that these rates would be higher for women if indoor tanning was truly the culprit? Can melanoma strike young people? Yes, but it primarily affects the old. From 2000-2004, 77 percent of melanoma-related incidence was seen in people above age 45. The median age for incidence of melanoma is 59 years; for a melanoma-related fatality, it is age 67. Melanoma has a strong link to heredity, typically shows up later in life and may be influenced by factors like having moles, being male, and being over age 50.

4. Lack of regulation enforcement. Curiously, Dr. Spencer states that, “Even in those states that have some elementary safety regulations, it is not clear who would enforce them”. A state-by-state listing of radiation control and enforcement offices can be found on the LOOKING FIT Web site.

Before condemning indoor tanning, let’s look at what Dr. Darrell Rigel, an American Academy of Dermatology member, says about melanoma. His study, titled “Risk Factors for Presumptive Melanoma in Skin Cancer Screening: American Academy of Dermatology National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program Experience 2001-2005,” discovered five factors that independently increased the likelihood of suspected melanomas:

• History of previous melanoma 
• Age over 50 
• Regular dermatologist absent 
• Mole changing 
• Male gender 

What we are being told is to virtually stay out of the sun and avoid all forms of UV light. What we don’t know are the maladies, diseases and sicknesses that can be wrought from a period of sun avoidance. It’s all about moderation. Millions of people weigh the risks and benefits of UV exposure and choose the controlled and responsible manner of tanning indoors where exposures are regulated by a timer and by skin type.

Sincerely, 
Joe Schuster 
Media Liaison 
Suntanning Association for Education 

For more information on Light Sources tanning products, visit www.lsitanning.com If you have a question that you would like answered in this forum, e-mail joe_lsi@bellsouth.net.