The UV light emitted by tanning booths, salons, beds, reflectors and lamps causes sunburn and premature aging, and it increases your risk of developing skin cancer. There are no safe tanning parlors, no matter what they advertise, since tanning your skin means you are deliberately damaging your skin. Both UV A and UV B can cause skin cancer. Begin using sunscreens on children at six months of age, and then allow sun exposure with moderation. Teach children sun protection early.
Sun damage occurs with each unprotected sun exposure and accumulates over the course of a lifetime.
The two most common kinds of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Fortunately, it grows very slowly and seldom spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma also grows relatively slowly, and even though it rarely spreads elsewhere, it does so more often than basal cell tumors. Both types, however, need to be detected and treated early, because they can grow, invade and destroy nearby tissues. The most common warning sign of these skin cancers is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn't heal.