lol yep... i know that well. there was a time when i'd burn and a tan would remain when it left... yeah... not anymore. so unfair.

Same! And then, just to add insult to injury I peel. Every time! I live in Australia, in the Sunshine State, and I'm pale as anything!

I don't even try to tan. I am a redhead. Enough said. I wish I could be of more help.

tanning beds are a bad idea. they can cause skin cancer. a young woman here died from cancer that she got from using tanning beds. it was quite sad.

if it's just for your wedding i'd get a spray tan. i've never been myself, but i've seen some pretty awesome results on my friends. as long as you do it the right way you won't turn out orange or have drip marks.

I'm not surprised to see the Australians here backing up the tanning causing cancer thing. From what I've gathered Australia has one of the best anti-skin cancer campaigns in the world. In my experience Australians are far better educated than both Brits and Americans on the dangers of both the sun and sunbeds.

skin cancer is pretty high here, so they try to get the message out about skin cancer risks. it never used to be as good as it is now. back when my dad was a kid people would put baby oil on and lie out in the sun all day. haha. now, every summer they run slip slop slap ads [slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, slap on a hat], but they've thrown in making sure to stay in the shade as well. skin cancer is so easy to get, and i don't understand people, especially aussies, that feel the need to expose themselves to a greater risk of getting it.

Yeah, my aunt and uncle moved to Australia in the 70s and there was no warnings back then. They've each had several skin cancers removed, but thankfully of the less dangerous types (squamous cell and basal cell rather than malignant melanoma which is the one which kills). I became very aware of the skin cancer campaigns in Australia when I was over there working in a hospital in Melbourne as a med student.

You guys are way smarter when it comes to this stuff, at least than most Brits, and judging by this thread, the Americans too!

my dad's had a few of the squamous/basal cell cancers removed too.

we have the normal light hearted ads, but we have the full on graphic skin cancer removal ads too. we sort of have the view of it's like smoking, you just cannot be ignorant about the risks in this day and age.

i feel so bad for the woman that died at 26 from various tumors brought about by skin cancer. i thought it was great she spent the rest of her time campaigning for tanning salons to be regulated..

Australia is getting HUGE on education for skin cancer... even in my partners workplace they actually pay for them for have skin cancer screening and mole checks and all that stuff. It's because we have such a high rate of skin cancer deaths, they're trying to knock that on the head.

I see alot of people saying that tanning is a bad idea because of cancer. Yes, you can get cancer from tanning. You can also get cancer for being in the sun too long, using the wrong product, sitting in front of a microwave, using your cell phone, BREATHING. Just because you CAN get cancer, doesn't mean YOU will. There's a possibility. OH NOES. People take that risk every day, smoking, drinking, talking on their CELL PHONES.

I tan. BUT I do it in moderation. You're not supposed to tan every day, and any tanning salon that is a decent tanning salon WILL enforce the rule of no tanning every day. I enjoy tanning because I finally get to feel good about myself. I've never ever once tanned in my life. I burn in the sun and I can't stand looking at myself in a bikini because I've always been as white as an albino kid. How do I fix this? I tan. Why? Because I'd rather not use tanning CREAM.. because OH NOES, you can get cancer from it. You can get cancer from anything.

Honestly, just make sure that you know what you're getting into, if you want to tan. Like, use the right tanning cream, and use the right aftercare cream. When I first went tanning, I went in for 5 minutes. 5 MINUTES! Why? Because I was afraid I would die some horrible death and burn. But no.

Whatever, you can get cancer from tanning. But really, you can get cancer from almost anything anymore. Are you going to stop doing things that might possibly make you happy? I didn't think so.

You cannot get cancer from sitting infront of a microwave. That's nonsense. Nor is there any convincing evidence of a cancer risk with a cell phone (and certainly not with minimal use, unlike a sunbed which can cause cancer when used even just once). It is certainly not true that you can get cancer from almost anything anymore. That's a ridiculous statement to make.

Spending too long in the sun (if for regular and prolonged periods and without protection) or smoking can cause cancer. So can alcohol in excess (and ONLY in excess, so again, not the same thing). So doing these things are equally as dangerous and irresponsible as using a sunbed. That doesn't make using a sunbed any less stupid.

Anyone CAN get cancer, but using sunbeds MASSIVELY increases the risk. We all accept that we may get cancer one day, but why on earth would someone want to increase their risk? (Particularly when malignant melanoma isn't an old people's disease. It kills people in their 20s... often people with young children)

And you certainly don't need to tan every day to get skin cancer. It can be the result of even just occassional use.

I went in for 5 minutes. 5 MINUTES! Why? Because I was afraid I would die some horrible death

Malignant melanoma doesn't develop the next day! You don't yet know the effects... the horrible death (and believe me, malignant melanoma deaths are horrible) could still come in 5 or 10 years.

Honestly, I find it horrifying that people can be so disrespectful of their bodies and take a risk to their life so lightly.

Not only that, you aren't meant to be on a sunbed for any more than 3 minutes!

I find it horrifying that you're acting like you're the better person because you don't tan. Get over it holy shit. I do so, because I want to. I know the risks and I know what can happen. But I do it anyway. Yes you can get cancer from the rays from a microwave and the rays from a Cell phone. Look it up.

Like I said, I'll do what I want, with my body. And I expect you won't judge me. You're just ignorant if you do.

Perhaps you should look it up.

Microwave ovens don't cause cancer. It was once claimed they did, but further studies have shown that they do not increase the risk.

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=8774

http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q1913.html

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/environment/cellphone.html


Similarly, it has been claimed that cell phones cause brain cancer. This one is more complicated, because cell phones have only been widely used in the past 10 - 15 years, so long term effects cannot yet be known. A few years ago some small studies suggested a link between cell phone usage and cancer, but this has since been dismissed by further, larger scale studies. Any risk if present is likely to be small.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_1_3X_Cellular_Phones.asp?sitearea=PED


So you cannot compare these examples to sunbed use, where there is clear evidence for a significantly increased risk of skin cancer as a result of usage.

It's not about being a better person. Good people do irresponsible things sometimes. I know some very good people who smoke, but that does not change the fact that smoking is irresponsible and dangerous. I'm sure there are also plenty of very good people who use tanning beds. Using sunbeds doesn't make you a bad person, it just means you're making one irresponsible choice with your body. Just as those who smoke.

I think our perspectives on this are very different because we're looking at it from very different backgrounds. You're of the 'it might not happen to me' attitude, while I'm of the 'I've seen the suffering of those who it HAS happened to' attitude.

I think a lot of it has to do with my profession. One of the things which frustrates me most about my job is people who do not take responsibility for their own health... for example, people who get short of breath walking 100 yards, but still smoke, and expect us to make them better... diabetics who continue to eat chocolate and expect us to fix their diabetic leg ulcers or diabetic blindness... people who are obese and don't even try and lose weight for the sake of their health, but expect us to give them a gastric band and make them all better...

I have also seen young people dying from skin cancer and it is NOT a nice way to go. I've seen the suffering it's caused them and their families, and that has obviously affected my opinion on this.

I really believe people should take some responsibility for their own health. What health professionals can do to help people is very limited if they chose to ignore warnings and risk their health. I want to help all of these people, but we cannot help them if they don't want to help themselves.

The vast majority of patients I see in intensive care are there in part becaue they've disrespected their own bodies... people whose lungs are destroyed by years of smoking... dangerous drivers with head injuries... people who have almost died from accidental or deliberate overdoses... people who have liver failure or pancreatitis from excessive drinking. I feel for all of these people, but I do believe people should take more control of their own health and have more respect for their bodies.

And to me, respecting your body means not smoking, not drinking excessively, watching your weight, not doing drugs, and not using sunbeds.

Who knows, I may get cancer one day. And if I do, that's life. Quite honestly, I'm not going to shelter myself against things I like to do. I like to tan, I like to drink, I like to smoke weed. I'm aware of all the harmful crap that can happen to my body, but I don't need some GIRL on Bloopdiary.com telling me that I'm harming my body and that I'm irresponsible. I'm not irresponsible. I'm living. I live my life, the way I want to. I have an apartment, a fiance that loves me, a family that loves me. I have a job, I have school. And I mean really, you're hounding me because I enjoy tanning.

If I get cancer from tanning, so be it. I'll have cancer. At least I'll have done the things I want to do. I'm not going to live in the shadows, and live in fear... because some GIRL on Bloopdiary told me I could get cancer and die. Because some GIRL told me I'm irresponsible. I CAN GET CANCER. I UNDERSTAND. I DON'T CARE. You think you're well educated and know everything. Grats, you're smart. I don't care for science and all that bullshit. What I DO care about, is living my life and having fun. Not wasting it on "What if's" and "Could have's". That's cowardly. Fuck that.

What does the fact that I'm a girl have to do with anything? And why does my gender need to be in capital letters?

This is a public forum. It is a discussion. It was not a personal attack on you. I am entitled to express my opinions here. Amber asked for our opinions. If I believe using sunbeds is irresponsible, it is my right to express that opinion. If you don't want to hear others opinions, don't come into the forums. I'm hardly hounding you. I have replied to your comments. I have pointed out the errors in your arguments (such as attempting to compare microwave ovens and cellphones to sunbeds, even although they are not remotely the same situation). That's not exactly hounding. If it is, then I could equally say you're hounding me.

I don't see how having an apartment, a finace, a family or a job as any relevance to the discussion either. I have most of those things too. What has that got to do with being responsible or with using sunbeds?

I've done the things I want to do too. I have no regrets in life. I certainly don't live in the shadows or live in fear. I do try and respect my body though, and limit the harmful things I do to it.

And I've never said I know everything. But you gave some very innaccurate information above, and I corrected you. I hate when people give out incorrect medical information online.

I came to the forum, to tell the OP what I thought. I don't care what you think. At all. You're some random on the internet. A random that I personally don't care about. Incorrect information? Right. Because you're a fucking dictionary. I'm done with you, and your opinions.

If you don't care what I think, why are you getting so defensive and angry?

What has a dictionary got to do with anything? :P I corrected your innaccurate medical information (your claims that microwaves and cell phones cause cancer), not your spelling or definitions.

I don't care what you do to your body, but when you come on here and advise someone else (Amber) that she shouldn't worry about using sunbeds (and imply that they're safe), when you are AWARE that they significantly increase your risk of skin cancer... well that's seriously dangerous.

Good for you RedFrag. ^__^ It's nice to see that some ppl on bloop do know how to debate. :D

I think the meaning of the word 'irresponsible' is being interpreted as something other than what was intended.

Hehe, some people just like to dig for drama... we won't say names but "What if's" and "Could have's". That's cowardly. Fuck that". I agree.

True, you technically *can* get cancer from many things (at least if you're genetically predisposed), but it's all about relative risk. And the relative risk of skin cancer from tanning beds is significantly higher than from no use of tanning beds. The relative risk of lung cancer from smoking is significantly higher than from not smoking. The relative risk of cancer from using a cream... well I've never actually heard of such an association ever being made. (And if it was, it'd be all over the news. xD)

It's not that you should live your life being afraid of going outside your house or eating new types of foods because you'll develop cancer. That's just silly. It's more about weighing up the risks of what you take into your body and your lifestyle activities, and making decisions based on that.

RedFraggle said everything else that I wanted to say. =)

not judging you, or calling you ignorant or anything but maybe you might want to read this before getting so aggro at people that don't share your view on tanning:

solarium campaigner dies of skin cancer

Interesting that she only used a sunbed 10 times too.

Very sad. But what is more sad is that people will probably read that story and ignore it and take the risk anyway.