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Abby's Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 5 | Page 37 cancer," he says, adding that heredity is a major factor. For those with a family history of melanoma, he says, "we would certainly advise you not to tan indoors." "You constantly hear indoor tanning causes melanoma," he says. "'Causes' means, if you do it, you have [melanoma]. Many millions of people do this [indoor tanning] and don't get skin cancer." But researchers say that the link between ultraviolet exposure from the sun or tanning beds and melanoma is indisputable, counters David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, chairman of dermatology and director of the melanoma program at Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School, Boston. "There is no question that ultraviolet exposure is associated with an increased risk of melanoma," says Fisher, who is also the president of the Society for Melanoma Research. That group, along with the Melanoma Research Foundation, issued the strong anti-tanning statement. True or False? Outdoor Tanning Causes Skin Cancer True. The tanning industry's focus on melanoma only is misleading, says Fisher, noting that the link between non- melanoma skin cancer and UV exposure is solid. Multiple studies have demonstrated a relationship between UV exposure and an increased risk of developing skin cancer, according to a report published in the May 2008 Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, although the specifics of the association are different for melanoma and the non-melanoma skin cancers, squamous cell and basal cell. True or False? You Need Sunlight to Get Enough Vitamin D False. No one's disputing that exposure to sunlight produces vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin," or that vitamin D isn't important. A spate of recent studies has found that adequate levels of vitamin D may lead to improved heart health and protect from breast cancer, among other long-known benefits such as bone health. True or False? Tanning Causes Premature Aging of the Skin True. Whether the exposure is indoors or outdoors, ultraviolet exposure over time causes what doctors call "photo aging," or wrinkles and a leathery look. German researchers evaluated 59 people who voluntarily started to use sun beds over a three-month period. Use of the sun bed induced a DNA mutation in the skin known to be linked with photo aging, they report in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. In another study, published in Aging Cell, ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun was found to speed the accumulation of DNA mutations in human skin associated with premature aging. To help prevent cancer and premature aging, experts recommend that you: 1. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen year-round of at least SPF 15 that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. 2. Avoid sun exposure between the peak hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. 3. Wear protective clothing, such as a broad-brimmed hat and long sleeves. 4. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going out in the sun and every two hours after while you are exposed.