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" Do you go tanning? I cringe when I think back to my high school years--before I knew much, or cared much, about skin cancer risks--when I frequented some local tanning salons (even though this pale skin of mine only went from pink to bright pink!). Here&amp;#x27;s something that really fires me up: tanning salons that advertise that their beds help you prevent cancer...**** We&amp;#x27;ve heard about the glories of vitamin D. In fact, we&amp;#x27;re learning more things about the health benefits of this vitamin-of-the-moment every day, including cancer prevention, immune system benefits, etc. But as many as half of women aren&amp;#x27;t getting enough. (Eat these D-rich foods.) But for all we know about skin cancers and the dangers of too much natural and artificial sunlight, it seems criminal that some tanning salons are touting that their beds offer extra vitamin D, giving you a reduced risk of cancer. This tanning salon is even funding vitamin D-related research (the irony). (P.S. More than 1 million people use tanning salons in the U.S. every day. Their top customer: females, ages 16 to 29.) Here&amp;#x27;s what researcher and About.com&amp;#x27;s Guide to Skin Cancer moderator Timothy DiChiara, Ph.D., says: &amp;quot;...Experts caution that obtaining [vitamin D] from a carcinogen like ultraviolet radiation is the least safe source. Only a relatively short exposure to UV light is needed to produce vitamin D; a 20-minute tanning session provides about 5 to 7 times more ultraviolet radiation than is needed to produce vitamin D. The American Academy of Dermatology states unequivocally that &amp;quot;vitamin D from food and dietary supplements offers the same benefits--without the danger of skin cancer--as vitamin D obtained from UV light.&amp;quot; Tell me what you think about this controversy. Do you think the tanning salon&amp;#x27;s vitamin D claims are encouraging more people to fake-and-bake? If you go tanning, how do you justify it? (Side note: I&amp;#x27;ve known too many longtime tanning salon customers who have developed cancer to ever go back.) P.S. Do you think you look healthier with a tan? And, be sure to read this fascinating Glamour piece about the new truths of skin cancer--you will be surprised by what you don&amp;#x27;t know... Photo: iStock "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2009/04/health-controversy-tanning-sal>