Women, beware, a killer is out to get you! His harmless appearance has attracted many victims into his web of deceptions, yet his true power never shows until it is too late. Silently, this invisible killer picks his victims off one by one before they can tell their gruesome story! He is the one, the only…tanning bed!

Yes, although shocking, thousands of women worldwide have already been diagnosed with cancer, courtesy of their old friend the sun bed. If you've already smiled at the previous affirmation or have even gone far enough to think a "yeah right", then you are a likely candidate to enrich the ever-growing list of casualties. The reason why this device has claimed so many lives is very simple though: ignorance, or sometimes negligence. And who could blame you? Who wouldn't want to have that all-important tan to die for at the next dinner party, when all you have to do is get 3-4 times the maximum recommended dose of radiation? Sounds like a wise decision, right? Wrong! And the price you pay for not knowing that is anywhere between a good old-fashioned sunburn and cancer due to the genetic altering of your DNA.

So how can you still get your lovely tan without having to pay for it with your life, you ask me? There are multiple answers to that question, but these are the most recommended:

- Go out more often. Enjoy nature. When making your schedule, make sure to include a few hours for outdoor activities. Not only does this give you a nice preliminary tan that you can then work on, but it also improves your health and helps you get away from the daily stress you're faced with.

- If you can afford it, take a couple of weeks off from work to visit some exotic locations. Look for a spot that's both sunny and full of culture/history. You should start by sunbathing for 1 hour/day in the first few days and then gradually work your way up to the maximum of 2 hours by the end of your stay, but you shouldn't forget to visit the sites around you. You do want to make the most of your holiday, right? Getting this tan after you've already had one from back home will minimize the risk of harmful exposure and will strengthen the current one. Also, if you don't have the possibility to do the above-mentioned, you should at least listen to some safety tips before your visit to the tanning salon:

- Know what you're getting yourself into. Most cancer victims were misinformed about the effects of the UV light on the human body and the maximum exposure time.

- Plan ahead. You should start with shorter sessions until you're sure you can handle more, and only then gradually work your way up to 5 minutes BELOW the maximum exposure time. You should NEVER exceed that limit; otherwise the manufacturers wouldn't have bothered to test it, would they?

- Never rush to get started. A study has shown that men and women under the age of 35 have a 75% higher chance of developing cancer as a result of tanning sessions.

- Always read the manufacturer's instructions. Although UV light is invisible, it is nonetheless harmful and can cause skin as well as eye damage. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it can't hurt you.

- Warn your friends. Public misinformation is the most common cause for the negative effects, so if you care about them, make sure they know they're about to open Pandora's Box. If you've made it through this article, then you already know what 70% of women don't or refuse to believe until it's too late. So don't make the time you've spent reading this go to waste. Inform someone else and help change the statistics in your favor.

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