A bronzed or tanned skin is many a fashionista's first choice. People pursue tanning outdoors by relaxing in the sun, or indoors using sunlamp products like tanning beds and tanning booths.
Although some believe that tanning indoors is safer than tanning in the sun, this is not true.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there is a 75 percent increase in the risk of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, in those who have been exposed to ultraviolet radiation from indoor tanning, and the risk increases with each use.
In order to increase consumer awareness of tanning bed risks, the FDA has issued a proposed order that, if finalized, would reclassify sunlamp products from a low risk device (class I) to a moderate risk device (class II).
Currently, the sunlamp products are exempt from any pre-market review. But if the order comes into effect, the manufacturers of these products would have to submit a pre-market notification (510(k)) to the FDA, and would also require labeling to include a recommendation designed to warn young people not to use these devices.
Commenting on the proposed order, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said, "Using indoor tanning beds can damage your skin and increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The FDA's proposed changes will help address some of the risks associated with sunlamp products and provide consumers with clear and consistent information."
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