Myth: There are thousands of legal tanning beds in salons and gyms in the U.S. — and I see lots of people using them — so they must be healthy and safe. Fact: “This is a false and dangerous myth, as there is no such thing as a healthy tanning bed,” says Carlo Contreras, MD, an OSUCCC – James surgical oncologist who specializes in skin cancer and soft tissue cancers. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation from tanning beds (or the sun) causes DNA damage to the skin that, over time, increases the cancer risk. “Studies have shown that tanning beds increase the risk of melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, by about 75 percent,” Contreras says. “Melanoma is one of the top three cancers diagnosed in young adults aged 25 to 29, and tanning beds are one of the reasons suspected for this higher rate. Also, studies have also shown that melanoma is more likely to metastasize and spread to the lymph nodes and beyond in younger patients.” Learn more about the dangers of melanoma from Dr. Contreras.