Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Teens Justify Tanning Beds



A recent research article conducted by the Archives of Dermatology found that college students don’t see tanning beds as a health threat due to the fact that dangers exist everywhere in our society.

In a survey conducted, researchers discovered that 59% of the 600 college students polled agreed with the sentence “tanning bed use can make me ill, but everything causes cancer these days.” Furthermore, 52% of the students polled believed that “tanning bed use is no more risky than lots of other things that people do.”

With this attitude, researchers and scientists alike agree something needs to be done about justifying these rationalizations. “The type of thinking that there is danger all around you, and hence unavoidable, is a common way of justifying risky behaviors," said behavioral scientist Smita Banerjee, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  

For Banerjee, it’s important to understand what drives a college student when rationalizing their actions. Once this is understood, healthcare professionals can create a stronger awareness on important issues.

When MSNBC reported this story on June 18, they also posted related videos about the new dangers of spray tanning. With more stories and research coming out about the dangers of alternative tanning we recommend that you practice moderation and stay up to date on breaking stories. For more information about the potential dangers of tanning, contact Dr. Miller at Greenville Dermatology.

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