Dear Jeff,

My 17 year old niece says that instead of sitting out in the sun, she prefers to get her tan on a tanning bed. She thinks it's safer that way and thinks she's at no risk for skin cancer. But I worry that may not be true. Are tanning beds a safer alternative to sunbathing?

Wouldn't it be great to get a healthy looking tan, without the cancer risk? Unfortunately, unless you think a spray-on tan looks healthy (I don't), there is no way to do it.

And if you think about it, it makes sense. UV radiation is a known human carcinogen. Exposure to UV radiation, regardless of the source, prompts the body to try to defend itself, by tanning.

And no, despite the myth, a good tan is not  going to prevent skin cancer. But people who have lighter skin, and thus less protection through tanning, are at an even greater risk.   

So as long as a tanning bed is making you tan, it is also significantly increasing your risk of skin cancer.

For more Health and Safety Tips for Your Summer Vacation, see: http://www.acsh.org