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(KSL News) The Utah Department of Health thinks people are fooling themselves when it comes to the dangers of tanning. Each year nearly 500 Utahns are diagnosed with melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, and at least 60 people die of the disease.
Despite the numbers, health officials say Utahns still persist in believing there is such a thing as a safe tan. In fact, there is no such thing as a safe tan because all tans expose the skin to harmful UV rays that can cause cancer.
Also, there is no such thing as a base tan to protect the skin from burning later. Any exposure to UV rays increases skin damage, actually making it more likely to burn.
They also warn that sunscreen does not extend your time in the sun without burning. No sunscreen reflects all of the sun's damaging rays and so should be applied often and used with other precautions, such as hats and cover-ups.
For more information on tanning myths, see the link found at the right.
