The custom of tanning one's skin has received a lot of publicity in the recent times. Because of its alleged link with cancer, tanning and its effects has become a major subject of debate among scientists, beauticians and even the women who would like to know all the facts about it before deciding on whether to go tanning or not.

Though it is commonly believed that tanning invariably leads to skin cancer, recent studies have shown that tanning may be a protective device against certain types of cancers. The risk of colon and breast cancer is reduced by exposure to tanning conditions as the sun retards the growth of cancerous cells that cause these conditions. By retarding its growth, cancer rates come down. This is proven by the fact that cancer of the breast and colon is more common in countries that are sun deprived.

Establishing the benefits of exposure to the sun from tanning is a scientific fact. One can also counter the belief that tanning should be stopped because it is one of the causes of skin cancer. Tanning need not be stopped altogether because of this risk. After all it is a known fact that deaths from melanoma, the variety of skin cancer that is the risk factor from tanning, is the least death risk as only 0.3% of death cases have been linked with this form of cancer.

Then again, in the early stages, there can also be a cure from surgery. Colon and breast cancer is a far bigger killer as the number of affected cases is around 20% to 65%. The chief benefit of tanning helps to control osteoporosis and thus it is an ideal way of enjoying the sun and benefiting from it.

Another fact that is seldom examined is the incidence of melanoma that is much lower in countries with sunshine. Scientific research has not been able to disprove this fact. It is only a handful of doctors and lobbyists of the anti-tanning groups who have linked the twin facts and come up with a theory. After all, skin cancer is more prevalent in northerly latitudes where the exposure to the sun for the population is much less than in the tropical and equatorial regions.

All this brouhaha about tanning has given rise to an unusual and unnatural fear of the sun among the population. This is a cleverly propelled myth by the multi-million-dollar pharmaceutical companies who wish to sell their sun screen and other sun protective lotions to women who are keen to look and feel good without risking their health to tanning and running the risk of cancer or related problems. The industry that is supplying tanning equipment is the only one of the kind that is propagating the safe ways of tanning and this single player in a giant propelled market is a loser right from the start. The voice of the factual users of tanning appliances is thus never heard by the majority.

The fact that tanning can be a safe way of looking good and feeling fit thus needs to be implemented and put in the right perspective. The skin cancer cause is not as simple as it looks and the public need to be informed about the right facts. Skin cancer is a complicated issue. The fact that moderate tanning can avoid all the ill effects of sunburn and exposure to UV rays, tanning activity can be enjoyed without worrying about the risk of cancer. The tanning salons therefore have to adopt a vigorous campaign to educate the public about the correct facts regarding tanning and its effects, both long term and short term.