Skin cancer has received additional attention recently in the medical community due to higher frequencies of occurrence. In fact, five million individuals across the country receive treatments for skin cancers each year. Increases in the rate of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are particularly concerning. Between 1973 and 2011, melanoma cases in the United State rose over 200 percent.
A report by the surgeon general names increased use of tanning beds as one of the reasons for these higher rates of skin cancer, particularly among younger people. Melanoma is now one of the most common types of cancers among young adults and people in their teens, and the report names artificial tanning in tanning beds as a contributing factor in many of these cases. As a result of these figures and findings, it is recommended that people avoid the use of tanning beds and excessive exposure to the sun’s rays in order to prevent skin cancer.