Educate your teens

[Tonya]

"I remember being a young teenager and fantasizing about what
my life would be like in a few years, when I was old enough to
hit the beach with my friends. Back then, I was obsessed with
the idea of tanning because I wanted to get my body picture
perfect for the day that I first slipped into a bikini and waded
into the water with a co-ed group of friends. At the time, I
asked my parents about using a tanning bed. They refused, for a
number of reasons starting with the cost and continuing on in to
health concerns.

I was a typical teenager so I begged and pleaded and argued and
yelled. And then I finally gave up and realized that I wasn't
going to be using a tanning bed at any time during my teenage
years. But that didn't do anything to diminish my dreams of
having the perfect tan in place for whenever I might finally
make it to those co-ed beach parties. Instead, I took a towel
out into the hot sun, climbed up on the roof and began to tan
naturally. Of course, I didn't tan, I burned. But I was a
teenager, and I was stubborn, and as soon as the burn had peeled
away, I did it again. This was a consistent story throughout my
teenage years.

Would I have benefited as a teenager for being allowed to use a
tanning bed? Probably not if I'd been given free reign to use
one at my leisure (say if we had gotten one for our own home).
But, given the right supervision and education in tanning
procedures, I probably would have harmed the health of my skin a
lot less if I was using a tanning bed than I did by abusing the
sun.

Here are some things to think about if you are the parent of a
teenager who wants to use a tanning bed:

• Where there's a will, there's a way. Educating your kids
about the dangers that are your cause for concern is always
better than just banning a product.

• Proper use of tanning lotions and other tanning products
increases the safety of indoor tanning. Taking your teenager to
a salon that will provide this education could be a good step
towards healthful tanning for the rest of his or her life.

• Improper exposure to UV rays is particularly damaging for
youths and teens. A good tanning salon can moderate exposure. As
a parent, you should always go to the tanning salon with your
teenager (yes, she'll hate you for it now and yes, she'll thank
you for it later). Explain your concerns to the salon and work
out a proper tanning plan to make sure that only moderate UV
radiation will occur.

• Educate yourself. The more that you know about the topic of
tanning, the better equipped you are to assist your teenager
when the topic comes up.

The fact is that teenagers often do what they want. If you, as
a parent, try to ban the option of tanning beds then your
teenager is likely to find some other way to get that tan. Open
communication with your teenager about the reasons for wanting a
tan and the proper procedures for doing so will go a long way
towards protecting the health of your child's skin and improving
your relationship."


Author Unknown.

[oasistan]

I cater to the teens. I'm constantly trying to find ways to ensure the parents their child is safe in my hands and that I know what i'm doing. Makes it difficult when you are REGULATED as to what you can say and promote. I through in mention of Vit. D benefits when I'm discussing how I skin type them and require goggles and bla bla bla. When I was a teen, I was a very irresponsible tanner. Wish someone would have watched out for me a little more.

[Marca]

We don't have many teens that tan, but the ones that do, usually come with their parents. The unknown author is correct though, more info needs to be out there!

[ebsungirl]

I agree with this thread and wish that we could edcuate a little more. Unfortunately like oasistan said being regulated really makes it difficult to educate. I try to teach by example and that is why I don't tan everyday. I explain that once you build a base there is no need to tan everyday. Tan in moderation!!!!! You have to practice what you preach and so does your staff!!!!!

[clubby]

The regulations are in favor of the Derms. YOU can't say anything but THEY sure can. It continues to be all about money... money for the doctors.
Here's yet another article from CNN today. Different "disease" but it relates a point.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/03....ap/index.html

And the hits just keep on rolling.

[ebsungirl]

Good Morning America had a blurb today about Vit D and Tanning, was a positive reference for once! Short but was positive.