Ladies: The role of tanning in Vermillion

Each year approximately 20 percent of women use tanning beds, according to an Archives of Dermatology study. The study found that Midwestern and Southern women are most likely to tan in tanning beds.

At the University of South Dakota, trends haven’t been studied on whether women tan or not, and their viewpoints on tanning tend to vary.

Sophomore Lynae Tucker said she used to tan every day before two separate incidences made her decide to stop tanning.

“I had a very good friend who was diagnosed with skin cancer,” Tucker said. “Then I got tattoos and realized how much tanning was damaging them, and I didn’t want to ruin something I’d paid hundreds of dollars for.”

Tucker said tanning is an individual preference that people need to decide on their own.

“I compare it to smoking or drinking alcohol,” she said. “Everyone knows what the dangers are, but they still do it. We’re all going to die from something, but you have to ask yourself what you’re going to damage yourself with.”

Doctor Gene Burrish, a retired dermatologist, said UV radiation increases the risk of contracting skin cancer.

“The obvious risk from tanning beds is skin cancer, but other risks teenage girls probably don’t think about is that UV radiation can lead to premature aging, it can cause your immune system to stop functioning properly, damage your eyes and can create an allergic reaction,” he said.

And it doesn’t appear to matter whether those rays come from lightbulbs or the sun.

“There is no proven evidence that tanning in a bed is any better for you than tanning in the sun,” he said.

Junior Laine Greblunas said she tans to get a little extra Vitamin D and to feel better on gloomy days.

“Tanning is definitely good for you in moderation,” Greblunas said. “I usually buy 100 minutes, use them up and then don’t tan for another year. I think too much tanning can definitely be bad for your health.”

First-year Alex Eriksen said tanning is a personal choice.

“There’s nothing wrong with tanning,” Eriksen said. “It’s your body; you can burn yourself if you want.”

Sophomore Shelby Beer said she would tan if she had time, but in moderation.

“If you don’t have time to actually get outside, then tanning is good because then your body can produce melatonin,” Beer said. “However, the high concentration of tanning beds can be very damaging to your skin, which puts you at high risk of skin cancer.”

Junior Laurel Wek said tanning is good to an extent, but not excessively.

“Spray tans are better because you get a better, more even tan and they’re obviously better for you since they can’t cause skin cancer,” Wek said.

Junior Miranda Arnold said she has never tanned and doesn’t plan on it.

“I’m afraid I’m going to get skin cancer already, and that will increase my chances,” Arnold said. “It’s more harmful and more potent than the sun, and if sun can give you skin cancer, I can only imagine what a tanning bed can do.”

For protection while tanning, Burrish suggested “always wearing goggles to protect your eyes, never tanning for long enough to burn or tanning while on medications that make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.”