Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: News

Samantha Mataragas, a senior family and consumer science major, cleans a tanning bed inside the clubhouse at University Village Monday afternoon. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

To view a map of tanning salons in Charleston , click here.


Richard Cavanaugh, Eastern's health adviser, said he thinks most people know the risks of tanning, but it doesn't stop them.

Cavanaugh said he compared information from a recent study to one he did 10 years ago. Even though people seem to know the risks of tanning, many people are starting to tan at a younger age and more often, he said.

Cavanaugh said the effects of exposure to ultra violet rays are damaging to the skin and cumulative. He said people who tan more have more damage.

Brittney Courkas, a sophomore biological sciences major, said she's not worried about the effects of tanning because she doesn't tan on a regular basis.

Cavanaugh said people who do go tanning on a regular basis should be concerned of the effects.

He said it doesn't matter if people are tanning outside or in a tanning bed because in both cases, the ultra violet rays penetrate several layers of skin.

Cavanaugh said the exposure ages the skin and makes it tough, dry and leathery.

Cavanaugh added that usually people who burn easily run a higher risk of getting skin cancer.

Ashely Beasley, a worker a Tan Express, said about 100 students tan at that salon a day. She said probably at least half of those students are regular customers.

Beasley said Tan Express offers regular tanning beds, two super beds and spray tan. She said the super beds have more bulbs and are stronger.

Students seem to prefer tanning beds because they get a more natural-looking tan that doesn't wash off. People also get darker faster tanning in a bed rather than mystic tanning, Beasley said.

Cavanaugh said spray tan and tanning creams are better because they're less harmful, but a lot of people don't like them because they don't look as natural as the tan they get from a tanning bed.

He said a lot of tanning creams have an SPF factor as well, so they are also protecting you.

Courkas said she doesn't like the creams because they don't work as well. She said they also take more work to put on because users have to make sure make the coverage of the tan cream is not streaky.

Larisca Cascio, a senior elementary education major, said she doesn't go tanning at all because she knows it's not good for you.

Cascio said she went tanning once for her high school prom but hasn't gone back.

"I never really had a desire to (tan)," Cascio said.



Sara Cuadrado can be reached at 581-7942 or at slcuadrado@eiu.edu.

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