2008 Woodie Awards
Tanning: the dermatologist approved cure-all
Meghann McCluskey
Issue date: 10/25/04 Section: News
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The skin disease had plagued Candy Knox since childhood. Each winter, the red, scaly patches indicative of psoriasis would reappear on her arms and Knox would once again contend with discomfort and feelings of insecurity. But a few years ago her dermatologist recommended a surprising treatment that has helped Knox cope when cold weather hits: indoor tanning.
"My doctor said my best bet was to move to Florida or go tanning when I needed it," said Knox, who now makes periodic trips to the tanning booth. "It really seems to help whenever I have a breakout."
Deemed fashionable during the 1920s by an influential French designer, the bronzed look has been trendy for decades. Now, with an estimated 30 million people visiting salons each year, the tanning industry is reaping the financial benefit of the beauty conscious, according to the California Tan and the Heliotherapy Light and Skin Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine. But for some, tanning isn't just about looking good. Candy Knox is one of a growing number of Americans who participate in heliotherapy, a gradual exposure of UV rays intended to decrease skin disease and other disorders.
"Most people think tanning is pretty bad for you, and they're right in a way," Knox said, commenting on the negative stigma attached to America's tanning fixation. "But for people like me who really need it, it can do a lot of good."
The therapeutic exposure to sunlight has origins in ancient Chinese and Egyptian medicine. Since tanning's dramatic rise in popularity in America, tanning networks and businesses have been hailing the medical advantages of sun exposure, according to the California Tan and the Heliotherapy Light and Skin Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine. Some argue that heliotherapy can serve as a skin cancer preventative as gradual UV exposure lessens the likelihood of severe sunburns. Other advocates of the treatment claim that in addition to healing acne and psoriasis, heliotherapy can decrease blood pressure and stress, lower cholesterol and alleviate some forms of depression.
"My doctor said my best bet was to move to Florida or go tanning when I needed it," said Knox, who now makes periodic trips to the tanning booth. "It really seems to help whenever I have a breakout."
Deemed fashionable during the 1920s by an influential French designer, the bronzed look has been trendy for decades. Now, with an estimated 30 million people visiting salons each year, the tanning industry is reaping the financial benefit of the beauty conscious, according to the California Tan and the Heliotherapy Light and Skin Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine. But for some, tanning isn't just about looking good. Candy Knox is one of a growing number of Americans who participate in heliotherapy, a gradual exposure of UV rays intended to decrease skin disease and other disorders.
"Most people think tanning is pretty bad for you, and they're right in a way," Knox said, commenting on the negative stigma attached to America's tanning fixation. "But for people like me who really need it, it can do a lot of good."
The therapeutic exposure to sunlight has origins in ancient Chinese and Egyptian medicine. Since tanning's dramatic rise in popularity in America, tanning networks and businesses have been hailing the medical advantages of sun exposure, according to the California Tan and the Heliotherapy Light and Skin Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine. Some argue that heliotherapy can serve as a skin cancer preventative as gradual UV exposure lessens the likelihood of severe sunburns. Other advocates of the treatment claim that in addition to healing acne and psoriasis, heliotherapy can decrease blood pressure and stress, lower cholesterol and alleviate some forms of depression.
