The Risk of Development of Skin Cancer - Essay Example

Skin cancer is a health problem that is prevalent in society; however, the community has very limited knowledge of the matter. Many individuals have received education related to the dangers of skin cancer, however, it continues to increase at a rapid rate and this has raised concern among healthcare professionals and the community. Skin cancer is a term used to define carcinomas that rise from the skin and can invade different parts of the body. These include squamous cell cancer, melanoma, and basal cell cancer.

A culmination of factors has led to an increase in the prevalence of skin cancer and these include damage to the ozone layer by industrial activity and the new methods that have been created for tanning such as tan salons or even spending excessive amounts of time under the sun (Zhang et al., 1588-1593). There should be studies that are aimed toward the regulation of events that are damaging to the ozone layer and the different methods that are used to improve tanning in the community to ensure that these methods are either eliminated or minimized.

Problem
Tanning has become a summer fashion and many people use tanning salons which predisposes them to many types of skin cancer. However, many studies have found that spending long hours under these lamps predisposes individuals to squamous cell cancer which is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.

Background
Tanning beds are machines that utilize 3% UVB and 97% UVA to artificially produce sun tans for cosmetic purposes (Dore et al., 30-37). There are many different variants of these machines and can also be in the form of high-pressure beds. The cultural history of tanning is something that has changed throughout the years and in the early 1900s when the benefits of sunlight were documented, sunbathing can back into fashion and was considered an upper-class activity (Dore et al., 30-37). It was further popularized by Coco Chanel 1920s after a vacation. The tanning beds entered the American community in 1979.

However, the World Health Organization and other health institutions have labeled these beds a health risk and have included them among other dangerous radiation substances such as plutonium. According to the IARC, there are increased risks for individuals who utilize these beds before the age of 30 years who are predisposed to developing melanoma which is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. Cancer is responsible for the death of approximately 8 700 individuals in the United States every year (Zook et al., 95-106).

Analyses
The dangers of tanning machines clearly show the need for more efficient regulation. There should be more control regulating the use of these devices especially among the youths who are more vulnerable to developing melanoma. According to studies, there were approximately thirty-seven percent of white females who utilized this service and 11% percent of the males who used the beds were between the ages of thirteen and nineteen (Zook et al., 95-106). Melanoma was found to be more dangerous to individuals who are below 30 years being 1.5 times more likely to develop than basal cell carcinoma and 2.5 likely to develop than squamous cell carcinoma (Zook et al., 95-106).

Conclusion
Skin cancer is a problem in the community and the different forms of human activity and fashion such as tanning have contributed to this problem. There Read More