Is tanning worth the risk?

One in five people will eventually develop skin cancer. That’s a startling statistic when you realize this includes over 2,500 UW-L students. But, with shows like Jersey Shore that promote incredibly dark skin, it’s hard not to look in the mirror and feel a little pasty. However, the risks lie not only with the sun exposure, but also with your local tanning salon.           
So, how do we even tan? What goes on between the sun’s rays and our skin? UVA and UVB rays that come from the sun damage the DNA of our skin’s epidermal cells. Enzymes then immediately start to repair the damage that has occurred which causes the dark skin pigmentation. The remaining cells that couldn't be repaired can cause mutations in our skin, which increases our chances of developing skin cancer.
When scientists first starting looking into the causes of skin cancer, they believed UVB rays were the only cancer-causing rays. However, scientists have recently discovered that UVA rays (the rays used in tanning beds) can cause more genetic damage to the skin cells.
A common argument by those seeking the perfect tan is that they are only getting a base tan to protect against direct sun exposure. In all actuality, only those that are naturally darker have minimal protection against the suns rays because of the extra melanoma in their skin.
Having multiple sunburns can also double your risk for developing melanoma later in life according to skincancer.org. Prevention through sunscreen and protective clothing is the only way to decrease you chances of developing this deadly cancer.
As popularity of tanning salons increases, it is becoming essential that we understand the implications of tanning. The Food and Drug Administration is trying to develop more warning labels and increase public awareness about the ramifications of tanning.
Most people who tan are trying to alter their appearance to become more attractive even if they give “base tan”