by Amanda-Marie Quintino

Being of olive complexion, people have always told me how lucky I am. Because I tan easily, turn a nice golden brown as opposed to a lobster red. And I suppose, because I’m blessed with a good amount of melanin, I never really saw much use in using what has now been dubbed “fake and bakes.” I could just sit out in my backyard for a bit and accomplish the same – for free and au natural.

Recently a study was released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) claiming that sun beds are as hazardous and cancer causing as cigarettes and asbestos.

IARC is now suggesting that tanning machines be moved to "the highest cancer risk category" and be labeled as "carcinogenic to humans" because they are a “probable” cause of cancer.

“It followed a review of research that concluded that the risk of melanoma -- the most deadly form of skin cancer -- was increased by 75 per cent in people who started using tanning beds regularly before the age of 30,” according to a CNN article about the study entitled “Sun beds as harmful as cigarettes.”

Vanessa Zeraldo, a self-proclaimed recovering tan-a-holic, doesn’t think hearing that tanning has been scientifically proven to be harmful would have stopped her from taking in those UV rays when she was visiting the beds on a regular basis.

Now Zeraldo, 17, doesn’t visit the tanning salon as frequently as she used to but she insists it has nothing to do with it being bad for her health. It's more about it being bad for her wallet. “It’s like eating unhealthy food or smoking or drinking – as long as it’s in moderation, I really don’t think it’s all that bad for you,” she said.

It’s business as usual at Bellair Tan. Ashraf Eleish, president of the GTA-based tanning chain, sent out a message to all of the company’s Facebook group members, adamantly insisting that the studies findings are unfounded.

“This report presents no new data, ignores confounding information, and attempts to reach a new conclusion with no new information,” he wrote.

The following statement was released by Bellair Tan in response to the IARC study: “While it remains prudent for individuals to avoid sunburn, it should be noted that there is NO RESEARCH suggesting that non-burning UV exposure is a significant risk factor for humans. None. Further, it is more clear now than ever that humans NEED regular UV exposure as the only true natural way to make vitamin D. It is called ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’ for a reason -- you produce more vitamin D by getting a tan in a non-burning fashion than you would from drinking 100 glasses of whole milk. We are very concerned that the politics of anti-UV groups are misrepresenting the balanced message about sunlight that a true, independent evaluation of the science supports. If a pharmaceutical company sold you sunshine, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now.”

The Joint Canadian Tanning Association is also working hard to dispel myths about sunlight and tanning to prove that tanning does actually have its benefits.

“FACT: Tanners have been scientifically demonstrated to have 90% higher vitamin D levels than non-tanners,” reads the website.

Considering what you know, will you keep tanning? Tell Amanda-Marie Quintino at aquintino@womenspost.ca