Stephanie Gilliland says she tans "pretty much every day" and isn't worried about skin cancer -- or wrinkles for that matter.

"I can walk outside today and get hit by a truck. At least I'd be tan," she laughed.

She said she isn't worried because she has no reason to be.

"Tanning beds have never been proven to lead to skin cancer. The leading cause of skin cancer is burning outdoors in your younger years," she said.

Ms. Gilliland, who helps manage the Tanning Spot, 3573 E. State St. in Hermitage, has been in the tanning business for eight years. She describes the feeling of tanning indoors as somewhat euphoric.

"It's warm. Your body melts into the acrylic. You look forward to being able to go the full 20 minutes," she said.

And Ms. Gilliland definitely isn't the only one who's tanning these days. In the off season she said she sees about 75 people a day at the salon. During the busy season of March, April and May about 200 people of all backgrounds come in wanting to tan for a variety of reasons.

"About two weeks ago we had a 75-year-old woman come. It was her first time ever tanning," Ms. Gilliland said.

The customers who frequent tanning salons have nothing but nice words to say about the experience.

Sue Wilson of Farrell said she's been tanning since 1985 and doesn't worry about skin cancer or wrinkles. She said she takes special care of her skin using a body moisturizer and added that she likes having the option of tanning regardless of the weather.

Eunice Blaze of Sharon said she's been tanning for three years and likes tanning for all the same reasons. She said her son is also a tanner. She said it makes him look healthier.

Mrs. Blaze said she would rather lie in the beds than out in the sun.

"You get a tan faster," she said. "At home if you lay out in the sun there's too much work to do around the house. Plus, with indoor tanning there aren't any bugs."

Ms. Gilliland said today's fast-paced world is a major reason most people use tanning beds. She said her salon is at its busiest during lunch and after work hours because those times are convenient.

"A lot of people work and don't have time to lay in the sun. People have less time and they want the color. At a salon they can have it in peace and quiet," she said.

And white women aren't the only ones who go tanning. Ms. Gilliland said 40 percent of the clients at the Tanning Spot are male and contrary to popular belief, she said black people have also tanned there for various reasons. She said the salon has had about 10 black clients. She said one woman in particular had vitilaigo, the "Michael Jackson syndrome," and wanted to get a base tan before going on a cruise to prevent sunburn, she said.

The Tanning Spot gets "sporadically" busy depending on the season, and sees an influx of people at homecoming time in October, Valentine's Day, and prom and vacation seasons, Ms. Gilliland said.

Most are regulars; others are first-timers. Promotions help attract new people.

She said first-timers or pale-skinned people usually start their tanning sessions slow at about six minutes. Gradually a person can work up to the maximum of 20 minutes in the beds. Beds at the Tanning Spot vary from 28 bulbs to 52, which they refer to as the "monster bed."

Ms. Gilliland said she recommends at least a 48-hour waiting period so the skin has a chance to recuperate. She said tanning lotions help accelerate the tan, but some people choose to dry tan. She said dry tanning is frowned upon because it causes the skin to dry out and exfoliate if it's not moisturized. When the skin exfoliates, the tan is lost.

Ms. Gilliand, 44, said she's not worried about wrinkles because she's "going to wrinkle anyway."

But Dr. Dale Pokorney, a local dermatologist, disagrees. He said people with fair skin are better off sticking to their natural skin tone. Every time a person visits a tanning bed, he said, the person gets a short exposure to ultraviolet rays, a risk factor for skin cancer.

Pokorney, who specializes in skin, hair and nails, said he's never gone to a tanning bed and when his daughter asked if she could go, he wouldn't let her.

"I said 'No you can't.' A dermatologist's daughter can't go tanning. A lung doctor wouldn't let his child smoke cigarettes. That's the way it goes."

He explains it using the analogy of a tobacco chewer or smoker: "If you smoke one cigarette your chances for cancer are minimized compared to someone who smokes all the time. It's the same with tanning. Your chances of getting skin cancer are less than if you go tanning regularly."

Pokorney said there are three types of skin cancers: basal cells, squamous cells and malignant melanoma.

He said basal and squamous cells can "definitely" be acquired from tanning beds. If basal cells aren't treated, he said, they can invade the muscle and the bone. Squamous cells can spread internally if not treated. He said malignant melanoma, the third and most severe, isn't "as clear cut, but is certainly a risk factor."

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, basal cells are considered the most common form of skin cancer found in fair-skinned people. It looks like a small, fleshy bump and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. If untreated it will begin to bleed, crust over, heal and then repeat the cycle. Squamous looks like a bump or red scaly patch. It's the second most common skin cancer found in fair-skinned people.

Skin cancer is "asymptomatic," Pokorney said, meaning it doesn't "itch, burn or hurt."

"If you have a spot on your skin and it's growing, changing color or shape, you should see a family doctor. Most aren't likely to be cancer, but if it's new, you should get checked," he said.

Pokorney said in addition to sun exposure, other factors like age and skin color can increase risk for cancer. He said a person needs "the right combination of heredity, skin color" and other factors to be more susceptible.

"Someone with red hair and blue eyes should never tan," he said.

"Some patients go regularly and increase their risk. The best way to reduce your risk is not to do it at all or use common sense and minimize the treatments," he said.

As the weather gets warmer, most will surely shed their winter garb and replace it with shorts, tanks and T-shirts. Pokorney suggests using a Sun Protection Factor of at least 15. The AAD also suggests wearing light colored, tightly-woven clothing and wide brimmed hats to help protect your skin from the sun.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharon-herald.com