A common misconception is that those with darker skin tones won’t develop skin cancer, but I’m proof that it doesn’t matter who you are. That’s why it’s frustrating when celebrities like Kim Kardashian share that they have a tanning bed. People think, If she’s doing it then I can do it — and she looks great. On the flipside, you have Khloe Kardashian sharing that she has had skin cancer on her cheek. As well as skin cancer, UVA light from tanning beds causes collagen depletion, which can age you considerably. If you have darker skin, you’re more likely to develop melasma and hyperpigmentation from UV, too. What’s more, using tanning beds to treat psoriasis like Kim Kardashian is an antiquated way of thinking. Yes, we still use UV to treat psoriasis in the clinic, but it’s narrow band UVB light in a very specific wavelength. This is safer and only targeted at the psoriasis plaques. We’re not using it like a tanning bed that damages everything in its path. I don’t think that a tanning bed is a good excuse. Any sunburn or tanning bed session can increase your risk of skin cancer. In fact, just one session alone can cause skin cancer. Any time you’re putting that kind of stress on your DNA, it may never repair itself. It would be my preference as a dermatologist that tanning beds be banned, but at the very least, you should have to be 21 to use one.
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