Eager to find help for her chronic acne Emily Willis, now the owner of Sun of a Beach Tanning Salon, located in the Kansas Union, began using a tanning bed at the age of 14.

“I tried a lot of different treatments,” Willis said. “But tanning seemed to be the only thing to help.”

Soon younger tanners may no longer be able to use tanning beds. In late March the General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed prohibiting anyone under the age of 18 or anyone with very pale skin from using indoor tanning beds.

Kansas currently prohibits anyone under the age of 14 from tanning, but anyone between ages 14 and 18 can tan with parental consent, depending on the salon.

Sun of a Beach already requires people under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a parent to use a tanning bed. Willis said because few of her clients were under 18 she didn’t think her business would be significantly harmed if the FDA’s proposals were approved.

The panel also voted to raise the risk classification of tanning beds. Currently, tanning beds have a Class I designation, the least severe classification. Opinions were still divided on whether or not to increase the classification to Class II or Class III.

These restrictions would come in addition to a tanning tax imposed as part of health care reform legislation. This law will require businesses to charge a 10 percent tax on use of tanning beds beginning in July.

Lee Bittenbender, a dermatologist with the Dermatology Center of Lawrence, said he supported the FDA’s recommendations.

“The more stringent the restrictions on tanning, the better,” Bittenbender said.

Bittenbender said people seemed to be more knowledgeable about the effects of tanning now than when he began business more than 30 years ago. However, he said there were still misconceptions about tanning, especially among young people.

“People ask, ‘How can I tan safely?’” Bittenbender said. “Let’s get that straight. If your skin is tanned, it is, by definition, damaged.”

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 30 million Americans use tanning beds each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) links the popularity of indoor tanning to increased incidences of skin cancer, which is the most common type of cancer.

In addition to elevating a person’s risk for skin cancer, the use of tanning beds is also linked to skin aging, eye damage and other negative health effects, such as suppression of the immune system.

Heidi Zarda, a junior from Shawnee, started tanning her freshman year of high school. By the time she got her drivers license, she was tanning nearly every day. Zarda said she knew the risks associated with tanning, but continued anyway.

It wasn’t until last year that Zarda said she realized tan skin wasn’t worth sacrificing health. She now supports banning people under the age of 18 from tanning, because they may not look at the long-term picture.

“Skin cancer is one type of cancer that we can try to prevent,” Zarda said.

Much of the medical community has met the FDA’s recommendations with support. However, some argue that the benefits of tanning are being overlooked.

John Overstreet, media director of the Indoor Tanning Association, said he was concerned with the effects the proposals would have on both businesses and people. He said tanning salons played constructive roles by providing advice, particularly to individuals with paler skin tones.

“If you do it the right way, there aren’t problems,” Overstreet said.

Overstreet said that if people were banned from sunbeds they would most likely go outside to tan. He said this could increase their risks of burning because they wouldn’t receive suggestions from salon experts on how much exposure may be appropriate for their skin tones.

According to the World Health Organization, there are rare cases where specific ailments, including psoriasis and dermatitis, can be relieved by tanning. Even with these conditions, the use of sunbeds should only be done with close medical supervision, Bittenbender said.

Bittenbender said he occasionally recommended sun exposure as treatment to a very small group of people. He said he was cautious in advising tanning and was concerned about sending mixed signals.

Willis, who opened her salon in 2008, said people should acknowledge the risks involved with tanning. However, she said individuals should be able to decide if they want to go tanning or not.

“It’s a choice, what we do to our bodies, whether it’s drinking alcohol or smoking,” Willis said.

Sun of a Beach also offers spray tanning, an alternative that Bittenbender said could help people achieve a tanned look without negative consequences.

“Many young people figure they’re immortal,” Bittenbender said. “But if you really want to look as good as you can for as long as you can, you shouldn’t tan.”

— Edited by Kirsten Hudson