Pacific Coast Tans

Thursday, October 18th, 2007

“Sun Scare”: How Commercialism Has Twisted Proper Sun Care

Scaring people out of the sun is a multibillion-dollar business. Smart Tan coined the term “sun scare” in 1996 to properly identify those who were distorting the truth about sunshine’s complex relationship with human health in order to scare you out of the sun. Some “sun scare” groups profit by marketing a distorted sun abstinence message, while others simply tell you to avoid any and all sun exposure because they don’t trust you to make your own informed decision about proper sun care:

1. Cosmetic Corporations – These giant “cosmeceutical” firms are driven by multibillion-dollar profits and are the leading purveyors of “sun scare.” These sunscreen manufacturers are marketing their products to block any and all UV exposure rather than simply for sunburn prevention. Sunscreen companies are enjoying record profits right now. For instance:

• $9 billion pharmaceutical giant Schering-Plough (Coppertone) reported sun-care related sales of $204 million in 2005, up 16 percent from 2004 and up 40 percent from 2003, making the division one of Schering-Plough’s best performers by percentage growth.

• $50 billion Johnson & Johnson’s consumer products unit – which markets sun care products like Neutrogena and Aveeno, is one of the pharmaceutical giant’s most profitable divisions, with increased sales of $2.36 billion in the first quarter of 2006 alone. Neutrogena’s marketing uses some of the most aggressive sun-scare tactics of any sunscreen company. In marketing its “Age Shield” SPF 45 product, Neutrogena warns people, “As part of your daily skin care regimen, Neutrogena recommends Healthy Defense SPF30 Daily Moisturizer to combat damage from daily sun exposure.”

• Beauty magazines – Chock full of cosmetic advertising, the average North American beauty magazine contains 21 pages of anti-sun-related advertising in every issue. That’s an estimated $1 million a month in revenue for many beauty magazines, which explains why their editorial message is so heavily slanted against sunshine.

• One prominent example of how advertising affects beauty magazine coverage of this issue: Cosmopolitan magazine sold sponsorship of a cover feature on sun care to Neutrogena in May 2006. The package of stories – as beauty magazines often do – featured and recommended usage of Neutrogena products. Further, Cosmo Editor Kate White personally trumpeted the message of her advertiser on a publicity tour that included a prominent interview on NBC’s The Today Show in April. Neutrogena products were featured on that appearance as well. In essence, Cosmopolitan has compromised its editorial integrity and has officially become a paid lobbyist for the cosmeceutical industry, which markets its product based on all-out fear and denial of the benefits naturally derived from sunlight.

• Skin Care Lobbying Groups – The American Academy of Dermatology, the Skin Cancer Foundation and the National Sun Safety Alliance all are prime examples of groups that the public perceives to be independent and altruistic, but which have strong ties to the pharmaceutical manufacturers of sunscreen products. This is one reason why most of these groups still recommend daily usage of sunscreen 365 days a year for people in all climates despite the fact that such a regimen clearly promotes over-use of sunscreen and may be contributing to the epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency in North America today.

Some purveyors of “sun scare” have deluded themselves into thinking that it is acceptable to overstate the risks associated with overexposure in order to convince people to moderate their sun exposure habits. This segment of the anti-tanning “sun scare” lobby, in an effort to rightfully increase awareness about sun care, often says the wrong thing the wrong way for the right reasons. But the fact that the intention – to reduce skin damage – is right does not give them a free pass to obscure the facts and ignore conflicting data, as they often do. For example:

• Some dermatology industry leaders still maintain that there are no known health benefits to regular sun exposure. This position is totally non-defendable. There is plenty of well-researched material documenting the positive physiological and psychological effects of UV exposure. They are in full denial.

• “People who practice proper sun protection and are concerned that they are not getting enough vitamin D should either take a multivitamin or drink a few glasses of vitamin D fortified milk every day. ..Dietary intake of vitamin D can completely and easily fulfill our needs.” – Dr. Raymond L. Cornelison Jr., then-president of the American Academy of Dermatology, in a July 3, 2003 AAD press release entitled, “Vitamin D + Sunshine = Bad Medicine.” This isn’t true – sunshine is the body’s natural way to make vitamin D, and the vitamin D community has agreed that one cannot reliably make vitamin D through dietary supplementation alone.

• Some dermatology industry leaders, in efforts to increase awareness about sun care, have clearly overstated the risks associated with UV exposure. For example, dermatology industry leaders have gone on record advocating daily use of sunscreen 365 days a year in all climates. This is clearly misbranding the product in seasons and climates where sunburn is not a possibility. Further, this over-use of sunscreen completely prevents the body from naturally manufacturing vitamin D. And vitamin D deficiency in our society appears to be epidemic.

• “Overwhelming evidence links the development of most skin cancers to exposure of skin to ultraviolet radiation contained in sunlight. (Vitamin D Scientists Dr. Michael) Holick hints that judicious daily exposures might be safe. However, I believe that every photon hitting the skin could produce a photo-mutation leading to skin cancer.” - Dr. Mark V. Dahl, past president of the American Academy of Dermatology in a 2003 editorial criticizing Holick’s work published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Dahl’s comment that any bit of sun exposure could lead to skin cancer is akin to saying that any car trip is dangerous and therefore people should not drive a car – it’s not the most accurate way to portray the relationship.

• Some dermatology industry leaders, in attempts to scare people out of the sun, still compare tanning to smoking, making the statement that indoor tanning is like a cigarette for your skin. This hyperbole is nothing short of ridiculous:

• Smoking introduces unnatural substances into your body that your body is not designed to process. In contrast, your body is designed to process UV light, and in fact is reliant on UV exposure for natural body functions.

• Smoking is related to 20 percent of all deaths in the United States and 30 percent of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

• Lung cancer rates are 22 times higher for current male smokers and 12 times higher for current female smokers as compared to non-smokers. In contrast, there are no studies showing that tanning in a non-burning fashion is related to any increase in skin cancer risk. This is critical, because we believe that burning, not moderate tanning, is the significant UV-related risk factor.

• 18 of 22 studies ever conducted on indoor tanning and melanoma have shown no connection at all, including the most recent and largest study on the topic. The four older studies that have alleged small increases in risk have all contained unexplained statistical anomalies, such as failing to control for confounding variables such as outdoor sun exposure. In some studies, frequent tanners had lower risk as compared to non-tanners, which also is unexplained.

The public and the press look up to medical professionals as objective sources of public health information. But when dermatology industry lobbyists obscure the facts and distort the picture to attempt to influence health policy, that creates an abrogation of trust that is unfortunate for all parties involved, and the consumer suffers.

Sun Scare: Calling Any UV Exposure a ‘Carcinogen’

The U.S. federal government in 2000 included ultraviolet light on its list of known human carcinogens – a document it produces bi-annually to warn people about dangerous chemicals and exposure circumstances. In doing so, ultraviolet light became the first item on that list that humans also need in order to live and would die if they didn’t receive. That is nothing less than confusing. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you have heard about this listing:

• The criteria to be on the list does not take into consideration the dosage required for a substance to be harmful. That is the problem. According to the listing criteria: “The Report does not present quantitative assessments of carcinogenic risk. Listing of substances in the Report, therefore, does not establish that such substances present carcinogenic risks to individuals in their daily lives.” In other words, the criteria to be on the U.S. government’s list of carcinogens does not differentiate between sunburn and normal daily UV exposure. Purveyors of sun scare conveniently have neglected to disclose this shortfall. This exclusion makes this listing meaningless.

• This report means nothing more than this: Repeated sunburn and overexposure may increase your risk of skin cancer. The list does not mean that moderate tanning in an non-burning fashion will cause skin cancer. That’s because there is no research in existence to demonstrate that tanning without burning is a significant risk factor for anything.

• Sunburn and overexposure are exactly what we are trying to prevent by teaching moderation and sunburn prevention.

• The list does not take into account that there are positive effects of regular ultraviolet light exposure. One thing we know for certain: You would be dead today if you did not receive any ultraviolet light.

For more information, please visit:

www.tanningtruth.com

www.tanningfacts.com

www.uvtalk.com

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007

Why should I use an indoor tanning lotion when tanning?

Why should I use an indoor tanning lotion when tanning?
Healthy skin is the foundation of a successful tan. Indoor tanning lotions are designed to provide critical moisture to skin before and after tanning. The healthier your skin, the longer you keep the tan; this allows you to build upon your foundation tan to get a deeper, darker tan. Dry skin flakes away your tan layer by layer. Indoor tanning lotions provide you with the deep, constant moisture your skin needs during the tanning process. Most tanning lotions have important vitamins and ingredients to help you extend your tan. People who avoid using tanning products will not get the extra moisture or a stable tan since tanning tends to dry the skin; they will lose their tan more quickly between sessions, due to dry skin flaking away. A Special Note:Consumers may not be getting the indoor tanning products that they think they are when they purchase them through unauthorized outlets like discount websites, local flea markets or non-tanning outlets. Outdated, discontinued, damaged and tampered-with products are often the products that are diverted into these outlets. Professional tanning products should be recommended by a qualified indoor tanning specialist to insure proper use. Indoor tanning products have unique ingredients that should be used only as directed to ensure the finest tan possible.

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

How do you really feel about exposing your skin to UV light?

You tan regularly. You love how it makes you feel and the way your skin looks afterwards. You follow all the rules, use the recommended lotions and even refer your friends. You take time out of your busy day to tan. You also think tanning is bad for you and admit it to your peers. You may even be trying to cut back or quit and compare tanning to smoking or other bad habits.

Does this sound like you? Or, do you really know the facts about how and why tanning is good for you? We at Pacific Coast Tans want to help you become a knowledgeable tanner and assured that you are doing something good for yourself.

The media and messages around you have most likely contributed to your opinion about tanning. Did you know that scaring people out of the sun is a multibillion-dollar business? Some groups profit by marketing a distorted message about the sun. These groups include:

• Cosmetic Corporations – These giant firms are driven by multibillion-dollar profits and lead the way in scaring people away from the sun. Sunscreen manufacturers are marketing their products to block any and all UV exposure rather than simply for sunburn prevention. Did you know that all the SPF products on the market that are over SPF 30 don’t protect you any more than the SPF 30 does?

• Beauty magazines – These magazines are full of cosmetic advertising and the average North American beauty magazine contains 21 pages of anti-sun-related advertising in every issue. These ads are a huge part of the revenue of these companies. If you were getting paid millions of dollars, you might convey the anti-sun message too.

• Skin Care Lobbying Groups – The American Academy of Dermatology, the Skin Cancer Foundation and the National Sun Safety Alliance all are prime examples of groups that the public perceives to be independent and altruistic, but which have strong ties to the pharmaceutical manufacturers of sunscreen products. This is one reason why most of these groups still recommend daily usage of sunscreen 365 days a year for people in all climates despite the fact that such a regimen clearly promotes over-use of sunscreen and may be contributing to the epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency in North America today.

So, are you thinking about all the reports on tanning your skin and skin cancer? Yes, it is true that repeated overexposure and sunburn may increase your risk of skin cancer but this is exactly what tanning in a controlled environment such as a tanning salon prevents. Sunlight is one of the most natural remedies you can give your body. You don’t need us to tell you that smoking and other bad habits are by no means natural.

The fact remains that exposing the skin to UV light is the body’s primary way of producing Vitamin D, which plays an important role in maintaining good health. UV light exposure is also the main producer of endorphins and serotonin. There is no wonder why most people feel great after a tanning session.

All of this information is just an insight into the real facts about tanning. We are sure that you probably have more questions. If you do, please feel free to speak with one of our knowledgeable employees. We want to help you feel completely confident that you are doing something good for you.

For more information on the web please visit http://www.tanningtruth.com

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007

A Simple Cure for Dangerous Vitamin D Deficiency

Remember when your mother used to say, “It’s a beautiful day! Get out in the sunshine, it’s good for you”?

Turns out she was right. More and more research is proving that sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, an ingredient essential to maintaining overall good health. Most significantly, vitamin D increases calcium absorption by 30 to 80 percent and is vital in building strong bones.

Yet many people are deficient in D, putting them at increased risk for osteoporosis, heart attacks and certain autoimmune disorders. Many vitamin D-deficient adults develop a weakening of the bones called osteomalcia, which is characterized by bone and muscle aches.

Most vitamins come from food, but amazingly, the human body is equipped to manufacture its own vitamin D. All that’s required is UV exposure. Seems simple enough — but many of us get far less sunlight than we think. We slather sunscreen on every inch of exposed skin, even in winter, and then proceed to spend most of the day indoors.

Could you be at risk? You may be deficient in vitamin D if you:

• Don’t often go out in the sun
• Live above the 37th parallel (that means most of Virginia)
• Always wear sunscreen on exposed areas
• Are older than 60
• Have dark skin

To correct this lack of vitamin D, you can be sure to take a multivitamin and consume vitamin D-rich foods, such as fish oil and liver. However, even these tactics often fail to significantly raise D levels. The best way is the natural way—increasing your UV exposure.

In Richmond, sunbathing isn’t such a practical way of doing this (for three-quarters of the year, anyway). Luckily, indoor tanning is safer and works just as well. Like natural sunlight, tanning beds produce the UVB rays that stimulate the body to make vitamin D. In 2004, a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who regularly used a tanning bed had higher concentrations of vitamin D in their systems.

“The inescapable fact is that humans have evolved in such a way as to be dependent on sunshine for life and health,” writes Dr. Michael F. Holick, renowned author of “The UV Advantage.”

Does this mean it’s okay to spend hours in the sun without protecting your skin? Of course not. A severe sunburn is the worst thing you can do for your skin. A healthy tan, on the other hand, means your body is making vitamin D and guards against burning.

Recent studies have found vitamin D helps protect against lymphoma and cancers of the prostate, lung and colon. It even helps prevent skin cancer.

Regular UV exposure is also connected to the release of “feel-good’ endorphins, which lead to improved mental well-being and guard against seasonal depression. So when you can’t get out in the sun, get to Pacific Coast Tans! Your mother was right—it is good for you.

For more information visit TanningTruth.com