Some Harsh Facts about Sun bathing and UV exposure!

* See those goggle marks around her eyes? They’re a dead giveaway of a tanning-bed baker. If she had skipped the fryer, her whole face would be as clear of damage as those reverse raccoon eyes are! Regular use of tanning beds escalates sun damage big time. It actually quadruples the risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, according to a study from the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Cancer Center and School of Public Health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, lists ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices among the most dangerous cancer-causing substances. Feeling guilty about having tanned back in the day? Don’t worry too much. The risk of melanoma depends more on how much a person tans than on their age. 

* Nearly a quarter of all the sun damage you'll ever get occurs by age 18, according to a study published in Photochemical Photobiology. Plus, just one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma later in life, according to a study published in the Journal of Dermatological Surgery and Oncology. While neither this 17-year-old nor you can travel back in time, you can repair some of the damage. And it's never too late to start wearing sunscreen! 


* Got a fair complexion? Then chances are you've got some sun damage too. Freckles, skin that burns easily or does not tan, light eyes, and even blonde or red hair all increase your risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer and actinic keratosis, a skin condition that can develop into nonmelanoma skin cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health


* How's this for eye-opening: 5 to 10 percent of all skin cancers are on the eyelids! Plus, sun exposure can damage the eye itself (specifically the cornea, lens, and retina), causing cataracts and macular degeneration over time. And if that weren't bad enough, sun is to blame for almost every fine line and for the crow's-feet around your eyes. Up to 90 percent of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are actually caused by the sun, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.