Tanning and skin cancer facts

There is a popular belief that suntanned skin is healthy and attractive. Many people spend more time in the sun than is good for their skin trying to achieve a fashionable tan.
A considerable percentage of the white skinned population admits to tanning at least once a year either in the sun or in tanning beds.
In a magazine survey, two thirds of teens said they "look better with a tan and feel healthier, more sophisticated," and half said they looked "more athletic".
Tanned skin is thought to be associated with swimming pools, backyard barbecues, dinner parties, and exotic vacations. In this context, tanned skin took on a feature of attractiveness as a signal of being well-traveled, cultured, and supposed evidence of leisure wealth. It also became a signal of health and strength as the bodybuilding and fitness industries increasingly promoted tanning to highlight muscle tone and definition.
Suntan is caused by an increased release of the pigment melanin into the skin's cells after exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
There is convincing evidence from many studies that frequent exposure to any form of UV radiation (solar or artificial) increases the risk for the development of skin cancer.
Preventive measures include avoiding sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, wearing a hat and anti-UV sunglasses which can provide almost 100% protection against ultraviolet radiation entering the eyes and applying a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.