› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Dangers of indoor tanning
- This topic has 16 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 12 months ago by
Carol Taylor.
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- May 15, 2011 at 3:31 pm
I am very unhappy with the way my family looks at skin cancer, Melanoma. I was diagnosed with stage IIIC Melanoma June 2010. I have never been one to go indoor tanning, but my sister, mom, and neice who is 15 have gone and my neice is still going. My neice feels the need to be tan like all her friends no matter what the risk is. I have shared information with my family but it seems like no one is taking this seriously. My sister who would lay in the sun for hours for years has never had any problems. My mom who tanned indoors for years never had
I am very unhappy with the way my family looks at skin cancer, Melanoma. I was diagnosed with stage IIIC Melanoma June 2010. I have never been one to go indoor tanning, but my sister, mom, and neice who is 15 have gone and my neice is still going. My neice feels the need to be tan like all her friends no matter what the risk is. I have shared information with my family but it seems like no one is taking this seriously. My sister who would lay in the sun for hours for years has never had any problems. My mom who tanned indoors for years never had any problems, but me who was never really into tanning got Melanoma. My neice also does the relay for cancer walk every year. I don't know if she just feels like this could never happen to her, or she just does not want to think about it. Not sure. How do you make people understand how deadly this is? My mom has a spot on her back that is as big as my thumb nail and has several different colors in it and she does not feel like it is an emergency to go to a dermatoligist to have it checked out. Am I just over reacting? They have all seen what I have gone through for the last almost year. I am into my 7th month of Interferon shots.
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- May 15, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I know how you feel about the frustration with people not taking melanoma seriously. When I was first diagnosed it really made me mad when I would see anyone tanning or if I knew anyone was going to the tanner. When my sister and I pulled in the driveway to my home after my first interferon infusion and my father was laying out on my patio with his shirt off I realized that there wasn't much I could do. I have come to the conclusion that all I can do is try to educate people and their decision is their own. I tanned in the sun (burned) for years. I'd go out on my dad's boat with my tank top or bathing suit with NO sunscreen even the summer before I was diagnosed. I knew about skin cancer, and I still did it. I even had people I knew who had been diagnosed AND done interferon and I still didn't get it.
All you can do is educate them and hope they make good choices. You also need to not take it personally when people don't seem to listen. It's not your fault, it's theirs.
Great job with the interferon! I did it in 09/10. No regrets.
Amy S. in Michigan
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- May 15, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I know how you feel about the frustration with people not taking melanoma seriously. When I was first diagnosed it really made me mad when I would see anyone tanning or if I knew anyone was going to the tanner. When my sister and I pulled in the driveway to my home after my first interferon infusion and my father was laying out on my patio with his shirt off I realized that there wasn't much I could do. I have come to the conclusion that all I can do is try to educate people and their decision is their own. I tanned in the sun (burned) for years. I'd go out on my dad's boat with my tank top or bathing suit with NO sunscreen even the summer before I was diagnosed. I knew about skin cancer, and I still did it. I even had people I knew who had been diagnosed AND done interferon and I still didn't get it.
All you can do is educate them and hope they make good choices. You also need to not take it personally when people don't seem to listen. It's not your fault, it's theirs.
Great job with the interferon! I did it in 09/10. No regrets.
Amy S. in Michigan
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- May 15, 2011 at 7:54 pm
I didn't tan, indoors or out, and I got melanoma. As far as I know, most melanoma begins in the very early childhood years, long before a child ever thinks of tanning for beauty. (So I personally am not convinced that teenage or adult tanning makes much difference. Some skin types will get melanoma, some will not.)
My daughter works at a tanning salon. She is a single mother of two and this is the only job she can find. Since my diagnosis, she regularly encourages customers to use the spray on tan. It is a paint/dye and is supposedly safe. At least no rays are used.
She uses the spray tan herself and uses herself as a model for her customers of how nice a spray tan can look.
Tanning is cultural. I think people will start to "get it" in 50 years or so, after more people have died and melanoma is more in the spotlight. Look how long it has taken for the smoking rates to change and the Surgeon General first started putting cancer warnings on cigarette packs back in 1960 or so.
Nicki, Stage 3b, scalp
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- May 15, 2011 at 9:37 pm
I was an avid tanning bed addict, especially in my 20's. I went three times a week to get as dark as possible as I always felt being tan made me feel thin and pretty. When the beds changed and it only took 8 minutes to get dark, I was thrilled. Now I'm 40 and just diagnosed this year with Stage 3c (possibly Stage 4) melanoma. I'm convinced that my years of bed tanning is why I ended up here and I have nobody to blame but myself.
Now, I'm trying to spread the word to all my friends that too much sun/tanning rays can prove to be deadly.
Lisa
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- May 15, 2011 at 9:37 pm
I was an avid tanning bed addict, especially in my 20's. I went three times a week to get as dark as possible as I always felt being tan made me feel thin and pretty. When the beds changed and it only took 8 minutes to get dark, I was thrilled. Now I'm 40 and just diagnosed this year with Stage 3c (possibly Stage 4) melanoma. I'm convinced that my years of bed tanning is why I ended up here and I have nobody to blame but myself.
Now, I'm trying to spread the word to all my friends that too much sun/tanning rays can prove to be deadly.
Lisa
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- May 15, 2011 at 7:54 pm
I didn't tan, indoors or out, and I got melanoma. As far as I know, most melanoma begins in the very early childhood years, long before a child ever thinks of tanning for beauty. (So I personally am not convinced that teenage or adult tanning makes much difference. Some skin types will get melanoma, some will not.)
My daughter works at a tanning salon. She is a single mother of two and this is the only job she can find. Since my diagnosis, she regularly encourages customers to use the spray on tan. It is a paint/dye and is supposedly safe. At least no rays are used.
She uses the spray tan herself and uses herself as a model for her customers of how nice a spray tan can look.
Tanning is cultural. I think people will start to "get it" in 50 years or so, after more people have died and melanoma is more in the spotlight. Look how long it has taken for the smoking rates to change and the Surgeon General first started putting cancer warnings on cigarette packs back in 1960 or so.
Nicki, Stage 3b, scalp
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- May 16, 2011 at 3:25 am
You should be pissed and for good reason. Might I suggest you write a letter to your Mother, either in your own hand writing or type written, and then put it in an envelope and send it to her in the mail.
Here is a suggestion.
Dear Mom::
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday I stick a needle in my body amd inject chemicals that are designed to keep me from dying from the Cancer Melanoma. I must do this for the next eleven months, because I am at a high risk of this cancer returning and ending my life.
My cancer is the direct result of my over exposure to the damaging effects of UVA rays and UVB rays in an attepmt to tan my skin., and even though you do and should know this, you continue to tan your body, even though you know it has resulted in me having cancer for which I am am now undergong treatment,
Yet, you and my relatives continue to try to get that golden tan and golden bronze.
You are my Mother and I can not understand why you would flaunt the exact cause of the cancer of your daughter and even encourage the reasons why amongst your family.
I have cancer, Mom and iit is because I wanted a tan. I know that was wrong, why can't you see that as well?
Each time you lay down in that tanning booth, think of me sticking a needle in my belly……………a belly that may never grow a grand child like your belly grew a child that is me.
Only an example,but either way, WRITE your mother a letter, because you will never be able to say these things to her face, but it needs to be said and you need to say it.
Charlie S
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- May 16, 2011 at 3:25 am
You should be pissed and for good reason. Might I suggest you write a letter to your Mother, either in your own hand writing or type written, and then put it in an envelope and send it to her in the mail.
Here is a suggestion.
Dear Mom::
Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday I stick a needle in my body amd inject chemicals that are designed to keep me from dying from the Cancer Melanoma. I must do this for the next eleven months, because I am at a high risk of this cancer returning and ending my life.
My cancer is the direct result of my over exposure to the damaging effects of UVA rays and UVB rays in an attepmt to tan my skin., and even though you do and should know this, you continue to tan your body, even though you know it has resulted in me having cancer for which I am am now undergong treatment,
Yet, you and my relatives continue to try to get that golden tan and golden bronze.
You are my Mother and I can not understand why you would flaunt the exact cause of the cancer of your daughter and even encourage the reasons why amongst your family.
I have cancer, Mom and iit is because I wanted a tan. I know that was wrong, why can't you see that as well?
Each time you lay down in that tanning booth, think of me sticking a needle in my belly……………a belly that may never grow a grand child like your belly grew a child that is me.
Only an example,but either way, WRITE your mother a letter, because you will never be able to say these things to her face, but it needs to be said and you need to say it.
Charlie S
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- May 16, 2011 at 1:31 pm
My dad has stage 4 Melanoma and it makes me upset as well to see my friends tanning in the sun. Melanoma is the leading cancer for 25 to 29 year olds and the 2nd leading cancer for 15 to 25 year olds. When I read those statistics, it made me sad so I posted it to Facebook just so people would be aware and got ZERO responses. Nobody thinks it will happen to them.
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- May 16, 2011 at 1:31 pm
My dad has stage 4 Melanoma and it makes me upset as well to see my friends tanning in the sun. Melanoma is the leading cancer for 25 to 29 year olds and the 2nd leading cancer for 15 to 25 year olds. When I read those statistics, it made me sad so I posted it to Facebook just so people would be aware and got ZERO responses. Nobody thinks it will happen to them.
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- May 18, 2011 at 5:38 am
Stage 3C and only have had neon tans…go figure….my sister baked in the sun, yeah, she looks 10 years older than myself when she is actually six years younger….but, i have mel and she doesn't…i feel at times i have charlie brown luck…and yeah, it irks me that tanning salons are legal…and it really makes me mad when people say how 'pale' i look…i am that i am…white
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- May 18, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Boots,
Just hang on. Give your younger sis a few years or so and she may find herself on this board. I know that's not what you want. As for peoples "pale" remarks. Just tell them pale is sexier than dead. "Dead ain't sexy" has become something of my new slogan. When they show their ignorance, you can use it as a teaching moment. May save their life.
You hang in there tough gal. All the best to you and prayers for you.
Grace and peace,
Carol
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- May 18, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Boots,
Just hang on. Give your younger sis a few years or so and she may find herself on this board. I know that's not what you want. As for peoples "pale" remarks. Just tell them pale is sexier than dead. "Dead ain't sexy" has become something of my new slogan. When they show their ignorance, you can use it as a teaching moment. May save their life.
You hang in there tough gal. All the best to you and prayers for you.
Grace and peace,
Carol
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- May 18, 2011 at 5:38 am
Stage 3C and only have had neon tans…go figure….my sister baked in the sun, yeah, she looks 10 years older than myself when she is actually six years younger….but, i have mel and she doesn't…i feel at times i have charlie brown luck…and yeah, it irks me that tanning salons are legal…and it really makes me mad when people say how 'pale' i look…i am that i am…white
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