Dare to Dream

Last Friday was just a normal Friday ... or as normal as the Friday before Christmas could be ... until I received a notice from the FDA of a HUGE, earth-shattering announcement. They were proposing a ban against tanning bed use for all minors under 18 in the US! I had heard through the grapevine that this ban was coming, but I didn't know when. And I wasn't holding my breath because I'd been holding it for too many years already. Then suddenly, last Friday became AMAZING! The planets had aligned!!

It was almost 6 years ago that presentations were made at a FDA hearing on the issue of teens and tanning beds. One of my friends from the melanoma community gave this presentation that included Jaime's story. 

Her presentation was one of many that shared stories about how tanning beds had changed or destroyed young lives. The hearings seemed promising ... but then the waiting game began. If you know me, you know that I am not a patient person, so ...

In the meantime, my attention turned to state legislation when Texas introduced a bill to restrict children under 16 from using tanning beds. Even though it wasn't the under-18 bill that I was dreaming of (and many thought it was just a foolish pipe dream!), it was a step in the right direction. With help from Jaime's story, it passed, which was surprising for such a conservative state. (And eventually, a full under-18 tanning bed ban would pass as well!)

Others began to share my seemingly impossible dream of an under-18 ban in every state. I'm not sure I even really believed that it was possible ... but I was being pushed ahead by some energy and force that insisted I just keep going. (Thank you, Miss J!) Then along came AIM at Melanoma, working on an under 18 tan ban in California, and I was hooked! Although it was far from easy, it passed! Twelve other states would follow to pass under-18 tan ban laws, but for years many more tried and failed. I am proud, along with Jaime and many, many others, to have been part of most of these difficult battles, but my dream was that all 50 states would pass these laws to protect their children by keeping them out of tanning beds ... and there was a long way to go.

Then just as my energy was draining and my dream was dimming, last year the FDA renewed its focus on under-18 use of tanning beds. It announced a strong recommendation against the use of UV devices by all minors. Many of us thanked them, but also let them know that it just wasn't enough.

And that led to Friday's announcement. Now there will be a 90-day period to respond to their proposal, and assuming it will be adopted ... that will put it becoming official just about on the 9th anniversary of Jaime's death!

The stories of all the melanoma victims whose cancer was brought on by tanning bed use have been heard, including my Jaime's. The years of hard work by thousands of supporters for this teen tan ban are FINALLY bearing fruit. Many lives will be saved!! I am proud to have played a role in this, and my sincere thanks go out to everyone who contributed to making this happen, to those who dared to dream.

But wait ... we're not done yet with the indoor tanning industry! Visit and "like" our Facebook group Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds to keep updated regarding our continuing efforts. Now that we have seen the impossible become possible, there is no dream too big!!

Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)

http://www.facebook.com/BanTheBeds (Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Not Music to My Ears

I admit it. I have a lot of anger toward the indoor tanning industry. My daughter Jaime was a tanning bed addict when she was in high school and college ... up until she was diagnosed with melanoma, a potentially fatal type of skin cancer, when she was 20. She fought this damn disease for her entire adult life but died when she was 29. A beautiful young life cut way too short, all because of tanning bed use. So I think my anger is justified.

To fan the flames of my anger, tanning beds are still very popular, particularly among teens and young adults. Vanity wins over sanity every time. Everyone knows how dangerous UV radiation is ... or at least everyone should know ... and yet the indoor tanning business is thriving while leaving behind a trail of young dead bodies.

The American Cancer Society and various skin cancer/melanoma foundations and medical organizations, the FDA, the CDC, the US Surgeon General (and me!) have all come out with warnings about the use of tanning beds ... but our pleas are basically ignored.

Why? Because our culture promotes being tan. Reality TV shows and magazines equate being tan with being sexy, and fitness centers promote the idea that a tan is healthy, when, in fact, neither is true. A tan is just the often deadly result of UV radiation damage.

A friend who understands my obsession with getting the message out about the dangers of tanning beds made me aware of this music video (UV Love) by Clinton Sparks. A sweet little romantic ballad it's NOT, so consider yourself warned if you watch it! From the title, you can probably guess that it is filmed in a tanning salon with young women roasting in tanning beds.

I can't understand the lyrics when I listen to the song, but I still don't understand them when I read them! (lyrics) But the lyrics don't even matter. It is the visual that gives the perception that tanning is a positive and acceptable activity.

Now I know I am out of touch with the current music scene (The Lettermen is still one of my favorite groups), and I admit that I have never heard of this guy. My hope is that this recording artist (term used very loosely) is not very popular because the message he is sending, that frying your skin in a tanning bed is sexy, is just flirting with death.

I'm not going to kid myself or you into thinking that kids listen to my preaching (or their parents') about staying out of tanning beds more than they listen to music videos like this one that are targeted to their age group and reach out and grab them.

Kids don't have to use any time or effort thinking about what this video is projecting ... that being tan makes you sexy and desirable and popular and fun. After all, these videos are made to make money; same goal as the indoor tanning industry, no matter the damage they do.

In contrast, my message tells them that tanning could kill them, but kids are certain that will not happen to them. They're too young to worry about that, right? That's what my Jaime thought too!

We must change the way our culture promotes tan bodies ... from the media to the fitness centers to the world of music. Some may claim this video was created with artistic license, but I claim it is irresponsible and driving kids and young adults to participate in an activity that is similar to playing Russian roulette with their lives. Reminds me of the cigarette ads with the sexy, manly Marlboro man!

When the US Surgeon General recently released a Call to Action against skin cancer, he was reaching out to everyone to do their part. Clint Sparks apparently thinks he is exempt. Some people, like the indoor tanning industry, will do anything for a buck ... even put young lives at risk. Why should freedom of artistic expression be acceptable when it is promoting dangerous activity?

Can you see why I'm so angry???




 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Sunscreen Complements Every Outfit!

Summer has officially arrived, and we all enjoy being outside for fun in the sun ... swimming and sports, picnics and BBQs, gardening, etc. No question about it: the sun's rays make us feel good. Recent studies have even shown that we can become addicted to UV radiation. 

But too much of a good thing is ... well, never a good thing. It is important to understand sun safety and how to protect your skin and possibly save your life or that of a loved one. I know, I know ... we all think we know the rules. We've heard them before. But they are constantly changing, and as I was researching the facts for this blog, I even learned some new things. So pay attention, just for a minute -- there will be a quiz (not really, but pay attention anyway)!

What Is UV Radiation?

The main source of ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) is the sun, but it can also come from man-made sources like tanning beds.

According to the Amercian Cancer Society, scientists divide UV radiation into three wavelength ranges:

• UVA rays are the weakest of the UV rays. They can cause skin cells to age and can cause some indirect damage to cells’ DNA. UVA rays are mainly linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles but are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers.

• UVB rays are slightly stronger. They are mainly responsible for direct damage to the DNA and are the rays that cause sunburns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.

• UVC rays are the strongest UV rays. Fortunately, they react with ozone high in our atmosphere and do not reach the ground. Therefore UVC rays are not present in sunlight and are not normally a risk factor for skin cancer. But they can be found in some man-made sources, such as arc welding torches and mercury lamps. In the past, sunbeds were also a source of UVC rays.

Why Should This Be Important to You?

More than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. It is the most common form of cancer in the US. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 90% of all non-melanoma skin cancers and 65% of melanomas are a direct result of exposure to UV radiation and could have been prevented. (See my blog Every Day Should Be Melanoma Awareness Day for more information about melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer that took my daughter Jaime's life when she was only 29.) 


Besides skin cancer, UV exposure can cause wrinkles, sagging, and premature aging of the skin; skin discoloration; dilation of small blood vessels under the skin; benign tumors; immune system suppression; cataracts and other eye problems impairing vision; rash or allergic reaction; and even infections and reactivation of herpes. 

What Can You Do to Protect Your Skin?

• Avoid excessive sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10am - 2pm. Remember that water, snow, cement, and sand reflect damaging UV rays to increase your chances of sunburn. UV rays can also go through windows and clothing and reach below the water's surface.

• Seek shade when your shadow is shorter than you are. "Watch your shadow -- Short shadow, seek shade."

Use Sunscreen  

• Apply sunscreen with a broad-spectrum (with both UVA and UVB protection) sun-protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. No sunscreen blocks out all the UV rays, but they do protect you from them. There has been much controversy over the past few years about toxic chemicals in sunscreen. Weigh the pros and cons of the various brands ... but pick one you are comfortable with and USE it.  

• Apply 1 oz (a shotglass full) sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going out. Do not apply to palms and rub together but instead squeeze a line of sunscreen on an area of your body and rub it in ... and then repeat. It is best to apply before putting on your bathing suit to protect the skin underneath and to avoid missing the areas around the edges of the suit. Also apply sunscreen before insect repellant or makeup. Reapply every 2 hours, even if it's cloudy (UV rays travel through clouds), or more often after swimming or sweating. The biggest problem with sunscreen is not applying enough ... so use a heavy hand!
  

• Do not consider sunscreen to be waterproof or sweatproof, but it can be water resistant, meaning it will stay on longer when you are in the water or sweating. It still must be reapplied when you towel off.

• Check the expiration date on your sunscreen. It is usually effective for 2-3 years, less if exposed to high temperatures. Be sure to shake it up good to remix the ingredients. And if it has expired and no longer effective as a sunscreen, Real Simple Magazine suggests using the leftovers as shave cream!

• Don't neglect high-risk areas of your body: eyelids, back of neck, tops of feet, ears, calves, back, and scalp are areas most missed with sunscreen. Lip protectors with a minimum of SPF15 should also be applied.

• Spray sunscreen is not recommended because of breathing in the mist and poor coverage. It can also be flammable.


• Keep babies under 6 months old out of the sun, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. When they are older than 6 months, you can use sunscreen on them but pay particular attention to tender young skin exposed to the sun. Sunburns in children put them in the high risk bracket for melanoma.

Other Forms of Sun Protection

• Clothes do not block out all UV rays. If you can see light through the fabric, then UV rays are getting through it. Dark colored, tight weave fabrics are best. Special sun protective clothing is also available.

• Sunglasses should be labeled to block 99-100% of UVA and UVB rays, and most sold in the US meet these standards. Large-framed or wraparound types are best because they keep protect the eyes from light coming from different directions. UV-blocking contact lenses are not sufficient to protect the entire eye from UV rays. Toy sunglasses for children are a NO-NO; they need smaller versions of the protective adult kind. 

• Hats should have a minimum 2-3 inch brim all the way around. Baseball caps only protect the front and top of the head so are not effective for sun protection. Straw hats are also not protective because of their loose weave.

• Beach umbrellas do not block all UV rays, usually only providing a protection factor of 30.

• Check the UV Index (http://www2.epa.gov/sunwise/uv-index). Special care needs to be taken when the UV Index predicts exposure levels above moderate.
  


• Examine your skin often and take note of any changing or new moles.


• NEVER, never, never use indoor tanning beds or sunlamps. According to the World Health Organization, ultraviolet radiation is a proven human carcinogen. First exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Of the 28 million people using tanning beds in US each year, 2.3 million are teens. 

Bottom line: Remember to Slip! Slop! Slap! Wrap!: Slip on clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, and wrap on sunglasses. Protect your skin and that of your loved ones ... and enjoy this summer and many more to come! Matter of fact, don't just follow these rules in the summer. Continue to practice sun safety all year around!


 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

Twitter: @melanoma_mama
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)

http://www.facebook.com/BanTheBeds (Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds)
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
Ebay: http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

A Note from Mom Doesn't Block the Rays

Many state legislatures are currently considering bills to restrict teens from using tanning beds. They got the part right about wanting to ban minors from their use because the increasing popularity of tanning beds is related to the climbing rates of skin cancer and melanoma, the fatal type of skin cancer. Actually from 1970 to 2009, the incidence of melanoma has increased by 800% among young women and 400% among young men, and it continues to rise at around 3.1% a year. However, the legislators seem to be confused about what type of legislation they want ... or perhaps it is how much can they restrict and still get re-elected? 

Five states are determined to protect ALL their kids from the dangers of the excessive UV radiation that comes from tanning beds -- California, Vermont, Texas, Illinois, and Nevada. [Update: As of 2017, this number has grown to 15 states.] Oregon also has an under 18 ban on tanning beds, but it includes a physician's permission exception. [Update: Washington state has same legislation as Oregon in 2017.] Since we know that there are no medical or health benefits from the use of tanning beds, which is not the same as phototherapy, this sends a very confusing message to an already very confused public. But that is a whole other blog! 

Parental consent tanning bills don't work

Much of the legislation being discussed this year includes a parental permission exclusion. And I am here to tell you from painful personal experience that parental consent laws simply do not work ... and they certainly don't prevent melanoma. 

It is, however, logical to think that parental consent bills should be appropriate. A parent should be able to decide and control what activities their children participate in. And until recently, as far as tanning bed use goes, parents have had that responsibility ... and they have failed terribly. 

Currently 28 million people use tanning beds every year [Update: In 2017 that number has risen to 30 million], and 2.3 million of those are teens -- all participating in risky behavior knowing what we know about the relationship between UV radiation and cancer. According to the Center for Disease Control, "A tan does NOT indicate good health. It is a response to injury." And that injury to your skin opens the door to a life of fear and pain.

If parents knew the facts about the dangers of indoor tanning, ZERO kids would be permitted to use them. And unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, studies have shown that many teens get their start in tanning beds by going with their moms ... some sort of bizarre bonding ritual!



There are laws for minors regarding alcohol and tobacco that don't require or allow a parent to consent. Why should tanning bed use, exposing our children to cancer-causing radiation, be any different? Parents have so many parenting decisions to make that I seriously doubt that they would miss this one.

Even the permission forms that parents are asked to sign before their child can tan,

From skincancer.org

at least the ones I have seen, are problematic. Yes, they do alert parents to the risks to some extent ... but do they state that it could KILL your child?!

 

 

 

 

Indoor tanning industry's web of lies and myths

I'm sure parents hear the warnings from the medical community and melanoma advocates like me, but they also have the indoor tanning industry pulling them in the opposite direction, weaving a web of lies and myths. 

In Texas there are laws against the tanning salons being able to advertise any benefits to tanning bed use other than cosmetic ... but what they tell potential customers is probably a different story. It certainly was years ago when I was faced with the decision-making process of deciding what was right for my daughter Jaime.

Here is some of my testimony before the Texas House and Senate health committees:

          "FACT: Parental consent laws do not work.

Jaime was our princess, our precious baby girl. As a teenager, Jaime was bubbly, outgoing, and popular and wanted to do what all her friends were doing … use tanning beds. I was a busy working mom with 3 teenagers, having a difficult time keeping track of all their activities. It wasn’t until the day Jaime came home from school with a sunburn that I realized she was using tanning beds. Texas had a parental consent law in place at the time, and Jaime had been signing my name to the forms. But that’s not all.

FACT: The indoor tanning industry is misleading customers.

Not knowing whether these tanning beds were safe for her, I went to the tanning salon with her to ask questions. They gave me lots of information, but it was misinformation, which proved to be deadly. They assured me that the beds were safe … because the government won’t allow them if they weren’t. They also told me that with her pale skin, she needed to develop a base tan in the beds to protect her from the sun. There was never a mention of skin cancer … or any risks for that matter. So unfortunately, I bought into their slick marketing and gave them my money … and signed away my child’s life. And although that was 20 years ago, they are still holding on to their false claims."

Rights vs responsibility

The bottom line with parental permission exceptions in teen tan ban bills: A note from mom does not make tanning beds any less dangerous. If we want to protect the children of this country from unnecessary cancer, we need to change our thinking. Perhaps instead of being concerned with our parental rights, we need to thinking about our parental responsibilities. We need to realize that as parents, our role should be to demand that our lawmakers make public health decisions to protect our children based on sound research and medical data -- and not for political reasons. The health and safety of our children should trump everything, including parental rights.


For more information on melanoma and/or on the status of state teen tanning bed restrictions, see www.aimatmelanoma.org


 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Fitness Centers & Tanning Beds Don't Mix

Last week CVS, the second largest drugstore chain in the US, announced that it would no longer be selling cigarettes or tobacco products as of October 2014. The CEO said, "The sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose – helping people on their path to better health." It was a bold move that will cost CVS $2 billion in annual revenue. However, lung cancer claims more lives each year than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined, according to the Oncology Nursing Society. Cigarette smoking kills half a million Americans each year; another 16 million suffer from smoking-related conditions.
 
BUT WAIT ... A new study has shown that more skin cancer cases are caused by tanning beds than there are lung cancer cases caused by smoking. (See my Jan. 30 blog about this: http://melanoma-mama.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-is-it-going-to-take.html) So this definitely needs some additional thought. 

The World Health Organization lists tobacco as a Group 1 carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), along with arsenic, plutonium, and ... oh, right, tanning beds that zap us with excessive UV radiation for the sake of vanity! 

So what about all the health and fitness centers that also have the goal of promoting good health ... yet offer their membership unlimited use of cancer-causing tanning beds????

There are no statistics that I am aware of that show how many gyms or fitness centers offer tanning beds, because in most states, licenses to operate UV equipment are not required, but many, especially the large franchises, do ... too many. Health/fitness centers do not offer tanning beds for their health benefits (because, duh, there are none!); they offer them to make money.
 
Most fitness club members are health-conscious. They eat right, exercise, don't smoke ... and yet they then climb into a tanning bed when they are done with their fitness routine. Why? Because many people think that a healthy glow is part of a healthy look; because it is really convenient; and/or because they want that tanning "high."

People go to the gym to workout so they will look good; however, the UV exposure from those tanning beds will give them wrinkles, age spots, leathery skin ... and skin cancers or melanoma, the fatal form of skin cancer. Perhaps they cannot imagine that a health/fitness center selling health and fitness would also be selling cancer!

Skin cancer rates are continuing to climb, and yet these fitness centers are making the use of tanning beds more convenient than ever. According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, those who tan 1 or more times a month increase their risk of getting melanoma by 55%. And tanning bed use before age 35 increases the chances by 75%. 


A few additional problems with these tanning beds offered by fitness centers and gyms, aside from the obvious health issues, are

1. their cleanliness -- imagine all the people who worked out and then jumped into that bed, possibly naked, leaving behind all the sweat, germs, and even fecal material just for you!
2. their lack of regulation and maintenance -- who knows when the lamps were changed last or the bed calibrated, and we're talking radiation here!
3. unlimited availability -- which means more time for the UV radiation to damage more DNA 
4. lack of enforcement of eye protection -- which can damage eyes and cause cataracts and ocular melanoma. UV rays can penetrate through the eyelids, so simply closing your eyes in a tanning bed doesn't provide the necessary protection.
5. availability to minors -- even if state law restricts teens from using tanning beds in tanning salons

Using a tanning bed offers no benefits ... but it could offer a life-time of suffering ... for you or for the loved ones you leave behind. My daughter Jaime would be the first to tell you, if tanning had not killed her, that no tan is worth dying for!!

"Being fit equates with being tan" ... it's a confusing and dangerous message to send, and that is the message that health/fitness centers are sending when they offer tanning beds at their facilities. If the purpose of a fitness center is to promote good health ... then it makes no sense at all to offer indoor UV tanning. CVS was claiming to care about the health of their customers while selling a carcinogen (tobacco products) but has now taken the brave position to no longer sell those products. So then, why can't health/fitness centers step forward to protect the health of their customers instead of selling cancer through their tanning beds????


 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)