Survey: Young adults say sun exposure is healthy

Schaumburg, Ill. - Nearly 75 percent of adults in the U.S. ages 18 to 29 agree with the statement, “Sun exposure is good for your health,” according to results of a survey conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology.

About 25 percent of respondents in the same age group said they were unsure whether sun exposure can cause wrinkles, UPI reports.

The online survey of 1,151 U.S. adults, conducted between Dec. 29, 2011 and Jan. 4, 2012, found that about 40 percent of respondents age 30 and younger tried to get a tan using a tanning bed, spending time in the sun or using a self-tanner or spray tan.

UPI quotes Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., vice president of the AAD, as saying, “Ultimately, seeking to change the color of your skin is self-defeating because exposure to ultraviolet radiation - either through tanning beds or by seeking the sun - can lead to wrinkles, prematurely aging skin and even a diagnosis of skin cancer.”

Dr. Draelos noted that the AAD has produced a TV public service advertisement that targets young women, warning them of the dangers of tanning and encouraging them to embrace their natural skin color.

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