Tanning While Pregnant: Round 3

When a doctor tells you something you assume it is true. Doctors have years of schooling, they are licensed in the state they practice, and they are simply believed to be smarter than the rest. These doctors are the ones we turn to when we have aches, pains, and even the unusual looking mole.

What happens when you are handed something like this by your doctor?

 "While tanning beds are safe..."

Not only is this medical facility flat out telling their patients that tanning beds are safe, they are telling their pregnant patients that it's safe to tan in them! Tanning while pregnant is not a topic that's new to this blog. I've blogged about it here and here. However, I have never seen a doctor flat out publish something for their patients that states that tanning beds are safe.

Needless to say, my friend had a pause in her celebration when she read the pamphlet in November. A melanoma survivor herself, she could not believe her eyes. As she wrote to me, "Oh my blood is boiling! Just got home from my first OB appointment and found this in the literature. I will be writing them a letter to distribute at my next appointment! "While tanning beds are safe..." I could vomit!!" 

And write the letter she did...

Luckily for the rest of us, this woman is determined to have the facility look again at the information that they are handing out to their patients. It terrifies me a woman--not even just the pregnant woman--will see this information and assume that tanning beds are safe. I mean, her doctor clearly believes it. Why else would he give her that information? I can hear her talking to her friends now..."But my doctor said tanning beds are safe!" 

Oh, the damage this could do...

Now the question is, how do we get our doctors to learn that tanning beds are known carcinogenics? 

Tanning While Pregnant?

I'm confused, you guys. Now I know I'm not a mom, nor will I be for quite a few years, but didn't you moms worry about more important things during your pregnancy than tanning your skin? I already know the answer from most of you! Maybe you worried about things like the need for doing everything you could do to make sure your child is as healthy as possible. Maybe you worried about the need for vitamin D.

Did you turn to a tanning bed--especially while pregnant--to get it?

Thanks to the author of Hotel Melanoma, it was brought to my attention that the Indoor Tanning Association is indirectly implying that tanning while pregnant may not be such a bad idea. While the ITA DOES NOT SUGGEST pregnant women use tanning beds, they did share this article discussing the need for vitamin D for brain development of unborn babies on their website.

Do you think people will see this and assume tanning is safe for pregnant ladies? Although the article is on their website, do you believe people would care more about the safety of their unborn baby than a tan? I used to think so. 

Then this happened. 

Source 

So needless to say, my faith in the sanity of some future mothers was challenged. 

Instead of falling in the trap, I hope those pregnant ladies seek other options for their source of vitamin D.  While considering options, I encourage you to check out this interesting article about indoor tanning and vitamin D.

Hell, even Snooki stopped tanning while pregnant.

 Source

(Sorry, Snooki. You are my go-to for the tanning crap. You're far more beautiful without the fake and bake tan!)

Other articles:

http://www.parents.com/advice/pregnancy-birth/my-pregnant-body/is-it-safe-to-tan-during-pregnancy/

http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/sun-care/tan-while-pregnant.htm 

Tanning While Pregnant? I Sincerely Hope Not.

It is a beautiful Monday afternoon, I am sitting here trying to feel a little less horrible when I decide to check the traffic that has been coming to my blog. I am always curious who links my blog, etc. I like to thank these people and check out what was said. Call me Curious Chelsea. The second website to bring me the most traffic today is a pregnancy forum. Obviously, I thought this was a bit odd, so I decided to check out the website.

Lordy, blog friends, after I finished reading the post, I saw red. Fury! 

Let me highlight some of the main points:

* The post is titled, "Anyone actually tanning?"

* It is written by a woman who is 28 weeks pregnant. 

* The woman is craving to go to the tanning bed because she has quit tanning & smoking and it has increased her stress level. 

* She says she is aware of the risks, is not looking for a lecture, and has no interest in using spray tans or lotions. 

* She writes, "I want to go SOOO bad"

She understands there are risks. She has clearly put some thought into it. Here are her lists of risks involved in hitting up a tanning salon while pregnant:

Im aware of the risks:

1) to make sure you dont over heat and your body temp doesnt go over 102. (By law tanning beds cant go over 100 degrees, and every tanning bed ive ever been always have fans to help keep cool.)

2) that during pregnancy skin is extra sensitive, (there for i would never go the max time and start with just a few minutes)

3) that UV rays *could* break down folic acid, (i could take one flinstone vitamin along with normal prenatals)

4) and the normal tanning risks reguardless of being prego, premature aging and increased risk of skin cancer

Before I totally lost my marbles, I read what the other pregnant ladies had to say.

* Some flat out posted "No. Not worth the risks."

* Another wrote "::Stepping out of this post::"

* Others advised the (I'm assuming here...) young mother to sit outside instead. It is summertime after all.

* One questioned, "Do they even let you get in the tanning bed while pregnant? Seems like that would not be an option." (Unfortunately, there are no laws...Just like a pregnant woman can order a margarita or a pack of smokes. I, as a past waitress, would refuse to serve her. But that's just me.)

* Even the tanning bed lovers advised the girl to wait until after her pregnancy!

* A father posted that he thought it was wrong that people would suggest the girl sit outside in the 100 degree sunshine rather than hang out in a tanning bed for a few minutes. Because, after all, his girlfriend used a tanning bed until she was 18 weeks and their child is A-OK. (Resisting urge to climb through computer & punch him.....)

* My favorite response: "something has got to kill me sooner or later might as well be melanoma..." (I'm not even GOING there.)

*Some wonderful woman posted the story about our beautiful melanoma angel, Tina. (I think it's Tina anyway...It sounds very familiar!)  She wrote, "You girls are having babies now that are relying on you and you should want to take care of your body as much as you can so you can continue being there for them as long as possible.   There are certain diseases and illnesses that are very much out of our control, but skin cancer is one that you can help to prevent, so why wouldn't you?"

*That same woman posted a link to my blog post showing this post. (Thank you! I hope it helps!)

* Another person posted, "Go outside FFS. If its too hot, just suck it up and accept that you won't be tanned for a while. We're all giving things up for the health of our babies and ourselves. I can't imagine the kind of life you must have to get stressed over not tanning in a tanning bed."

Of course the responses went on and on, but I wanted to share a few of the main ones with you. I am just going to assume that most pregnant women have bigger worries than being tan. Am I right? How could someone be so selfish as to bring so many risks upon her unborn child? 

I could bring medical reasons why I believe tanning while pregnant is wrong, but I am going to end this post with this:

I hope someone gets through to this woman. If she wants to risk her own life for a "healthy glow" that is fine. We are JUST now finding out the true dangers of tanning beds. Who in the hell knows what damage tanning beds could do to unborn children? I mean, hello, you aren't even supposed to take a newborn out in direct sunlight! So, I will say this again, at least protect your children....

At. Least. Protect. Your. Children.

Sigh....