Teen Tanning Under Fire

Lauren Pate is 17 years old. She's about to start getting a good tan, just in time for Spring Break.

"When you go to Mexico, if you don't have a tan, the sun burns you very easily, so I'm going for that," she said.

Sunning inside may soon be tougher for teens under the age of 18, if a new bill passes the state legislature.

It would require a doctor's note giving permission, and specifying how many visits are okay.

Dr. Paul Bowman is a pediatrician who specializes in cancer treatment. He says doctors aren't likely to sign, because the liability is huge.

"What if that patient, 20 years down the road, gets a malignant melanoma and they have the note saying you said it was okay," said Dr. Bowman. "Now, I'm going to sue you."

Karen Sanchez owns Palm Island Tan in Burleson.

She's concerned about what might happen to her business if the bill passes.

She says right now, parents have to sign for their children to tan at her salon.

"I'm the parent of a teenager, and I don't agree with the government's involvement," said Sanchez. "If I allow her to tan, it's my decision and it's her decision."

Bobbie Barton has been tanning for years. She sees it as a sunburn prevention move.

"Me and my husband live on the lake, and we fish and we boat," sid Barton. "With some kind of tan, you don't burn."

Whether it's a sudden burn or a gradual tan, Dr. Bowman says the risk is there.

If your teen is intent on getting a savage tan, he prescribes moderation, with plenty of sunscreen.

Click here to learn more about HB 1310.