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Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Acampo woman describes ordeal of being chained to bed, tortured

• After event turned ugly in 2007, rally returns to Tokay High

• E-mails fuel more controversy over Galt senior housing project

• Local crews help fight Santa Cruz County fire

• Airborne assassins: Master falconer shares details of 'blood sport'

• Regional Roundup

February 9th, 2010

• Middle College High School rated one of the best — and a bargain, to boot

• Lodi decathlon boasts top team in county

• Man who sparked counterfeit case pleads guilty

• Local businessman will visit Haiti to look for family

• Man who claimed to be Yosemite Sam pleads guilty to meth charge

• David Harmer seeks Republican congressional nod

• Lack of evidence in case against suspect in 'drug deal' stabbing

• Regional Roundup

February 8th, 2010

• Public Meetings

• Locals pick best, most memorable Super Bowl commercials

• Regional Roundup

February 6th, 2010

• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch

• Meet Larry, Curly and Moe

• Baboon business

• Regional Roundup

• Several Lodi venues let you watch the Super Bowl in style

• Lodi Library celebrates 100 years of serving the community

• Culinary craft

February 5th, 2010

• Kids, teachers help Haiti by collecting pennies for Learning Link

• Lodi, Galt students reach out to help Haiti earthquake survivors

• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam

• Hours of sweat and work go into putting on crab feeds

• Things looking up for state's real estate

• Correction

• Regional Roundup

• Stray bullet strikes Lodi home; police suspect gang activity may be factor

February 4th, 2010

• Managers at Geweke Toyota answer questions about recall

• Lodi City Council votes to replace play structure at Century Park

• Lodi extends ban on pot shops for another year

• Mokelumne River triathlon set for June

• Family, friends to run half-marathon in memory of Galt family

February 3rd, 2010

• Correction

• Delta College trustees again collide over stipend committee

• Bad bugs, weeds are hot topics at Grape Day

• Lodi-area senators Dave Cox, Lois Wolk admit to gifts; Tom Berryhill case pending

• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts

• Galt City Council avoids budget cuts — for now

• New Lodi Memorial Hospital emergency room opens to the public without a hitch

• Regional Roundup

February 2nd, 2010

• Local business leaders say tourism, Costco, Home Depot may play roles in city's future

• Correction

• Former Lodian Erica Davis is first paraplegic woman to summit Kilimanjaro

• Regional Roundup

• No snow leopards, otters for Micke Grove

• McNerney leads in campaign cash

• Police: Train victim was a Lodi teen

• Big rig plows 7 cars

• Jumpers across California

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
• Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
• President Obama's first year (45)
• Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
• Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (44)
• Writer comments on Neely column (42)
• The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
• Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (34)
• We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)
• Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam (25)

ADVERTISEMENT

A sunny perspective on tanning

It's time to evaluate over-the-top reports suggesting that getting a suntan is now in the same risk category as cigarettes, arsenic and even plutonium.

That's ridiculous. Cigarettes, arsenic and plutonium all undermine our body's natural functions. But getting a suntan is different — it is part of our body's natural design.

Humans, like the rest of the planet, need sun exposure to survive and thrive. Ignored in much of that reporting were the very important nuances that define humanity's very important relationship with UV light and sunshine. Specifically:

Not one single study exists implicating tanning in a non-burning fashion as a significant risk factor for permanent skin damage. Indeed, no study has ever been designed with protocol to ask this question.

Melanoma is more common in people who work indoors than in those who work outdoors. Because this is true, the relationship between melanoma and sunlight cannot possibly be clear-cut.

Melanoma most commonly appears on parts of the body that do not receive regular exposure to sunlight. Again, because this is true, the relationship between melanoma and sunlight cannot be clear-cut.

The sum of data do not substantively link indoor tanning equipment with an increased risk of melanoma. Indeed, 18 to 22 epidemiological studies conducted on this topic show no significant association, including the largest and most recent.

Finally, consider this hypocrisy: The dermatology community still continues to use indoor tanning equipment in dermatology offices to treat psoriasis and other purely cosmetic disorders — a treatment called "phototherapy." If what was reported last week were actually true, the dermatology profession would be guilty of that which they accuse indoor tanning facilities: of increasing women's risk of melanoma in exchange for treating a non-lethal disease, which would violate the "never do harm" provision of a physician's Hippocratic Oath.

Saying that UV exposure is harmful and should be avoided is as wrong as saying that water causes drowning and therefore we should avoid water.

My indoor tanning business provides a valuable service in this community — teaching people the concepts of moderation and sunburn prevention as part of a practical life-long skin care regimen that respects their intelligence.

Angela Orlandella Beagle
HavATan
Lodi and Stockton