Mercy offers pre-prom skin cancer awareness event to bring attention to dangers of tanning

Experts will offer tips on looking great for prom – without tanning

Mercy Medical Center’s Hall-Perrine Cancer Center is hosting a free, pre-prom skin cancer awareness event from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. The event is aimed at keeping young people out of the sun and away from tanning booths, especially as prom season nears.

This pre-prom event will include hair, makeup and sunless tanning tips from industry experts, as well as a fashion show highlighting the latest dress styles. Participants may also browse and shop at a vendor fair and register to win an Apple Watch, iPad Mini and gift cards. 

Additionally, a local skin cancer survivor will share her story about the dangers of sun exposure and tanning. Vincent Reid, MD, medical director of Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, will provide skin cancer education.

According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. Melanoma, a more dangerous type of skin cancer, accounts for about 10,000 skin cancer deaths each year, including more than 76,000 new cases in 2016. Indoor tanning, just like outdoor sun tanning, exposes skin to ultraviolet (UV) rays, the cause of most skin cancers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who begin tanning during adolescence or early adulthood have a higher risk of melanoma.

To register for this pre-prom event at the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center, please call (319) 861-7998; text (319) 551-1050; or email larens@mercycare.org.