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Teens and Tanning

An Unhealthy Practice

By Kelly Burgess

As a result, a person can have a spot almost too small to be seen with the naked eye, while the cancer is silently, aggressively spreading through the body. This is why regular yearly checkups by a dermatologist who is skilled in detecting skin cancers is extremely important for those who may be at risk for melanoma.

Geller doesn't want to advocate that no one ever go in the sun. What he does want to do is make people more aware of how to block the sun as completely as possible while not giving up activities to do so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has just started a movement to encourage schools to provide more shaded areas for play for children, such as more trees and awnings on playgrounds. Geller's group is starting a nationwide program to educate Little League and other athletic organizations on the importance of proper clothing for games played in the direct sun.

I'm jumping on the "proper clothing" bandwagon myself. A few years ago Wende's softball league went from wearing knee length pants and three quarter sleeve shirts to shorts and sleeveless jerseys. As a result, she has an ever-darkening tan where her shorts end and her socks begin – everywhere except on the scar where she had a suspicious mole removed last summer. It may seem like a step forward in fashion to the girls, but it's a big step backward for the health of their skin.