I don’t consider myself a tan-aholic (someone with an addiction to tanning), but every year around Thanksgiving, I usually purchase a tanning package.

My reasons are mainly vain and superficial. To be honest, I simply like the way I look when I am tan. Of course, I monitor my sessions to I don’t get too dark and look fake. All is am after is a natural, healthy glow.

This year, I find that I am too stressed, not to mention financially constricted, to get a tanning package and spend the 10 minutes or more each day sitting in a bed. My reasoning is pretty skewed. Considering all the dangers of tanning, lack of time should be very low on my list of reasons against tanning.

Given the fact that tanning is a huge trend, especially among college students, I decided to take a look into the dangers of tanning.

The biggest danger that comes to everyone’s mind is cancer. Prolonged exposure to the artificial rays significantly increase your chances of developing melanoma, skin cancer. According to the Web site tanninginfocenter.com, the current risk of developing melanoma is about 1 in 75 whereas 70 years ago, the risk was 1 in 5,000.

This factor is still not enough to keep people out of tanning beds. Most of us, myself included, don’t think that we go enough to be at risk.

Even if you don’t tan everyday, there are short-term drawbacks. Tanning dries out your skin. This can cause itchiness and irritation.

If you go tanning long enough, your skin can become wrinkly and saggy. Many people go tanning to look more appealing and attractive, but there is nothing attractive about wrinkles on a 20-year-old.

Although many people see tanning as safe, there are many other alternatives that actually are safe. Lotions, such as Jergen’s Daily Glow, can help you maintain a healthy glow. I use this everyday and swear by it.

The reality of the situation is that being tan all year long is unrealistic. We are only human after all and there is no rule that states you have to be tan all the time.