Kings Island Kicks Cancer

When I was a kid growing up in St. Albans, West Virginia (near Charleston), one of the best day-cations we would take every year was a trip to King’s Island just north of Cincinnati, Ohio.  My parents would wake my brother and me up well before sunrise and we’d hop in the car for the 3 ½ to 4 hour drive to Mason, Ohio…usually stopping for breakfast at the original Bob Evans farm near Gallipolis, Ohio.  Spotting the 333 feet Eiffel Tower from Interstate 71 set our hearts racing and we knew we’d soon be stopping in the Penelope Pitstop section of the massive parking lot and riding the shuttle to the main gate.  Carousels, rides, shows…this place had it all.  As little kids, we’d hold our parents’ hands and drag them to each attraction.  As teenagers, we’d venture out on our own and seek every thrill ride, and perhaps a cute girl we’d never meet again.  But the highlight of the day back then was challenging the longest wooden roller coaster in the world…”The Beast!”  Whipping through the woods at 65 MPH caused us to scream in delight and terror all at once.  It was the best.

It’s been years…no, decades since I’ve been to Kings Island, but the memories I have are still some of the best ever.  So it was with great interest and pride that I saw where the amusement park had launched a program called “Kings Island Kicks Cancer.”  From July 25 through August 24, park guests can purchase a soccer ball for $5 to kick into the park’s massive fountain.  

Each ball is an entry to win a 201 Honda Fit, plus net proceeds benefit three cancer charities: TheDragonfly Foundation, Pink Ribbon Girls, and Melanoma Know More!

Today, August 9, 2014, Kings Island and Melanoma Know More teamed up to organize a world record-setting event.  2,148 people applied sunscreen at one place at the same time!  

This beat the previous world record of 1,822 set in May by Ann’s Hope Foundation, another great organization raising funds for melanoma research and education.

Ever since melanoma entered my life after my brother’s diagnosis and eventual death, I have heard melanoma referred to as “The Beast.”  Every time I’ve heard those words, I was reminded of the good times at Kings Island, tackling a different Beast.  Today, these two parts of my life merged in a beautiful way…one beast fighting another.

Events like this are a fun way to educate people about melanoma, to encourage sun safety, and to answer the Surgeon General’s Call to Action against skin cancer.  Thank you Kings Island…and thank you friends at Melanoma Know More.

Psoriasis and Tanning Beds

Credit: Rich McDonald

I ran across a headline during a general Google search stating, “Kim Kardashian At Ulta – Promotes Kardashian Sun Kissed.”  This was immediately next to another headline touting, “Kim Kardashian  Flaunts Cleavage in Tight Pink Dress.”  The second headline itself was no more shocking to me than, “Scientists Determine that Water is Wet.”  However, the first headline grabbed my attention as I wanted to see whether or not Mrs. West was promoting “safe” tanning products or tanning enhancers.

When I clicked the link, there she was in her tight pink dress and plenty of cleavage.  In truth, all things Kardashian, or any name associated with tabloid headline pandering, simply turns me off.  To use an old cliché, I was reading this for the article.

Sure enough, Kim was appearing at a Los Angeles Ulta Beauty Store to promote the Kardashian Sun Kissed tanning line.  While her tanning product line does include self-tanning products, it also includes a “tanning extender” which is used after tanning to lengthen the life of one’s tan.  This didn't surprise me at all as I had little faith that any Kardashian would promote sun safety, despite having had episodes of skin cancer in the family.  While there was no surprise in the article, there was one major face-palm quote from Kim.

When I travel, the one thing that makes me feel alive whether or not I have makeup on is a tan, especially in my face. When you travel, you can’t just go lay out. I do like regular tanning because I have psoriasis, and the tanning beds are particularly good for that.

Tanning beds are good for that…that being good for the treatment of psoriasis?  I've heard that before.  I’ve addressed it before.  But I’ll address it again.

If you search the internet for “Psoriasis and tanning beds,” you’ll find a variety of information on both sides of the argument.  The fact is that Phototherapy is indeed a legitimate way to treat psoriasis.  Ultraviolet B rays (UVB) penetrates the skin and slows the growth of the affected cells.  Treatment is recommended to be administered on a set schedule by a medical professional, although there are home-based systems available by prescription only.  Sometimes, the UVB therapy is combined with a topical agent or other medication to make the treatments more efficient.  UVA rays are also used in other forms of light therapy, but only in conjunction with a medication psoralen which makes the skin more sensitive and much be monitored VERY closely.  All therapies described above, in fact are monitored closely by a health care specialist.  

So tanning beds should be a good alternative…right?  Wrong!  The majority of tanning beds emit primarily UVA rays which are mostly ineffective against psoriasis, unless combined with psoralen as mentioned above.  But again, this medication causes the skin to be much more light-sensitive and severe burning will occur.  There are tanning beds that emit UVB rays, but they are hardly regulated for intensity and not properly adjusted for specific treatment of psoriasis.

The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) has this to say about tanning beds:

Phototherapy (light therapy), performed under medical supervision is safe, effective, and cost-effective. The National Psoriasis Foundation does not support the use of indoor tanning beds as a substitute for phototherapy performed with a prescription and under the supervision of a physician. Only medical professionals should provide and advertise light therapy for the treatment of psoriasis.

The NPF goes on to say that the “spectra of light in tanning beds vary greatly and often include wavelengths of light that are carcinogenic and photo-damaging.” The NPF’s full statement on tanning beds can be found here.

There are plenty of accounts online from people that claim that tanning beds DID help with their psoriasis, and I don’t doubt that they believe that.  Many people don’t consider other influences that may have simultaneously impacted their improved condition.  Did they change their medication?  Were there other changes?  Or did their condition improve simply from the placebo effect?  I don’t often doubt that when something works, it works.  But at the same time, I feel it’s best to take the advice of medical professionals devoted to the treatment of this skin condition rather than trust the declaration of a tabloid celebrity.

Disclaimer reminder…I’m not a medical professional.  I’m just a guy that’s expressing his opinion based on what I've read in articles from various organizations and individuals representing various views related to melanoma and skin cancer.  My opinions are mine and I’m not paid by anyone to express them.  And trust me, I wish I were getting paid just to be me.  But then again, if I was, I’d probably be a Kardashian.

Pampering Ignorance

Groupon recently revealed the country’s most pampered cities, based upon total spending on the company’s pampering coupon deals.   These deals included haircuts and coloring, nails, facials, teeth whitening and, yes, tanning.  Overall, Green Bay, Wisconsin was ranked as the most pampered city, based mostly on their ranking in facials (#1) and hair care (#2).  No doubt, cheesehead hats combined with green and yellow face paint wrecks havoc on one’s face and hair.  White Plains, NY and Cleveland, OH were the next two on the list.

Groupon also listed each winning city by category.  The “winning” city for cashing in on the most tanning coupons is Shreveport, LA.  The Louisiana city will very likely lose that distinction soon as Louisiana has banned minors from tanning salons as of this past week (August 1).. 

Sadly, this bit of trivial news supports that tanning is still considered a pampering luxury…at least by Groupon.  One would hope that perhaps the recent Call to Action would encourage Groupon and other such services to refuse to offer coupons for tanning salons.  Based on the number of tanning discounts I found on a quick search, it’s highly unlikely. 

Perhaps the fight against artificial tanning will follow the same path as cigarettes.  It was 1965 when cigarette packages were required to contain the Surgeon General’s warning that tobacco use can be hazardous to your health.  In 1971, cigarette advertisements on television and radio were discontinued.  Smoking was banned on interstate busses and domestic airline flights of less than 6 hours in 1990.  Joe Camel and other advertising deemed aiming at minors was sent packing in 1995.  Nowadays, smoking is not allowed in many public places, including the old staple of smoke-filled rooms, the bar.  Even in tobacco-rich North Carolina, there are significant restrictions on smoking. 

People still smoke, but I would be willing to bet that nearly every one of them knows that it’s bad for them.  How often have you seen or heard a smoker state, “yeah, I know these things will kill me…” before lighting up?  How many times have smokers referred to cigarettes as cancer sticks?  Tobacco use is down, but it’s not out, and I doubt we can ever expect it to be.  We need to have the same expectations for tanning.

If the current trend continues and the Surgeon General’s warnings are heeded, tanning will be banned for minors across the country within the next few years.  It’s not a matter of if, but when.  Yet, people will tan.  I’m hoping the difference then versus now will be a lack of ignorance.  I would guess that most tanners today are ignorant.  Yes, many are stupid and stubborn, but some are just plain ignorant because they simply don’t realize that tanning dangerous for one’s health.

The FDA now requires that tanning beds contain a warning that such devices should not be used by individuals under 18.  I would like to see required signs at the front door of each establishment that offers UV tanning that states the same thing.  Or better yet, the sign should state that UV tanning is hazardous to one’s health and have a nice photo of a severe skin cancer excision.  From that point forward, tanners of the future will no longer be ignorant because they would be reminded every time they walked through the door.  They will be idiots, but they will not be ignorant.

The battle against tanning is one fight within a huge war against melanoma, but it’s our most public and controversial battle.  Our mission is to eradicate the disease, but one of our more subtle goals should be not just to increase melanoma awareness, but to eliminate melanoma ignorance among those who wish to continue tanning.  Getting skin cancer of any type is not a form of pampering.