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With Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Melanoma Monday, No Fry Friday, and all of the other campaigns used to help spread the word about skin cancers and its causes, it’s not too large of a shock that Minnesota has become the eighth state to ban indoor tanning for minors. A new article in the New York Daily News states, “Each year, more than 2 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer. The risk for melanoma increases by 59% for those who partake in indoor tanning, and the risk amplifies with each subsequent visit.” Dr. Adam Mamelak, a board certified Dermatologist and Mohs micrographic surgeon in Austin, Texas, has some strong opinions on tanning. “Skin Cancer is now the most common form of cancer and one that is almost entirely preventable. Many of these tumors can be directly attributed to bad habits . These bans in states like Minnesota, Texas, California, and other states should be the minimum restriction for use of tanning beds. They drastically increase your chances of skin cancer and this ban is a step in the right direction for the safety of our children and our skin.” Dr. Mamelak speaks to community groups regularly about skin cancer awareness and the best ways to protect your skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. “Often, some simple behavior or lifestyle modifications are all that is necessary to prevent sun damage and skin cancer from developing,” claims Dr. Mamelak. “Just as with any other disease, prevention is key to keeping patients healthy. With the dramatic rise in the incidence of skin cancer, the notion of a ‘healthy tan’ or the ‘fashionable tan’ should be the first perceptions we need to change.”