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While indoor tanning in a bed or booth can give you the most beautiful tan you have ever experienced, you also need to be aware of the various risks relating to skin cancer when you don’t tan indoors safely. You don’t have to visit a tanning salon extensively before you can be at risk for these various cancers. Recent studies indicate that visiting a tanning salon just ten times per year increases your chances of Melanoma more than 7 times that of someone who doesn’t use a tanning salon. It is a type of malignant tumor. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. In most cases it can be treated and even cured if it is caught early. The concern with Melanoma is that it often goes undetected while it rapidly spreads throughout the body. This can result in death. This particular type of skin cancer results in more deaths than any other form. According to the American Cancer Institute, 60,000 people are diagnosed with Melanoma each year. At least 8,000 of them will die. Warning signs of Melanoma include changes in the color or size of a mole. If the area starts to itch, burn, or become painful, you may already be in the beginning stages of the Melanoma spreading. Make sure you have your doctor look at the area as soon as possible. The second highest diagnosis of skin cancer is called Squamous Cell Carcinoma. This involves the cells of the epidermis growing abnormally. At least 250,000 people are diagnosed with this type of skin cancer each year in the United States alone. In most cases Squamous Cell Carcinoma can be treated effectively. However, approximately 3% of those who have Squamous Cell Carcinoma will not respond well to treatment and die as a result. Symptoms of Squamous Cell Carcinoma include tumors on the body that are thick and crusted. It may appear as if there are small pebbles embedded under the skin. If you have open sores that won’t heal or see changes in the texture of your skin, you should immediately see a doctor. The third type of skin cancer associated with unsafe tanning is called Basal Cell Carcinoma. This is the most common type of skin cancer, but the number of new cases is out of control. At least 800,000 new casese of Basal Cell Carcinoma are diagnosed each year in the United States. Basal cells are those found at the deepest part of the epidermis, very close to the bottom layer of your skin. Tumors develop in this deep layer of skin and that allows them to eat away at skin that is underneath. It can even allow the tumor to eat away at the bones in that region of the body. The majority of Basal Cell Carcinoma cases are easy to diagnose with a biopsy. They can be treated easily and most people don’t die from this type of skin cancer. However, the treatments can be very expensive and scars and skin damage may result from the cancer. Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma include open sores that won’t heal, red patches on the body that don’t hurt but can resemble small scars, bumps that start to develop on the skin, or a growth that is pinish in color. If you experience any of these signs you need to see a doctor immediately. Sadly, individuals who set out to get the perfect tan may wind up with a struggle fighting against skin cancer. It is essential that you do all you can to keep your tanning practices safe. Tanning is something young people often do, even starting in their teens. This means that some very young men and women will be dealing with skin cancer in their early 20’s and 30’s. It is senseless to lose your life to skin cancer that is the result of unsafe tanning practices. If you do experience any of the warning signs of skin cancer from unsafet tanning, you need to immediately stop tanning and seek medical attention. You have the best chance of successfully fighting skin cancer if you catch it early.
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