Indoor Tanning Risks - Health Tips

A study published in March 2014 looked at the association of indoor tanning use and the risk of developing melanoma.

It showed that using tanning beds is associated with a subsequent melanoma diagnosis. Exposure from more than 10 tanning sessions is most strongly associated with an increased risk of developing skin cancer. In addition, there was no significant difference in this association since the year 2000 when new tanning technology was introduced. This suggests that newer tanning technology is not any “safer” than older models.

This study should provide food for thought for politicians and public health officials.

I tell my patients that early melanomas are highly curable with surgery, but if not caught early, they can be deadly. If you are a patient with risk factors, such as a family history of skin cancer, you should be even more motivated to make the right decisions about avoiding exposure to UV radiation, through sun protection measures and avoiding use of indoor tanning lights.

While I am generally averse to additional laws telling us what we can and cannot do, I have come around to the opinion that if we limit the access of minors to tobacco products, we should likewise limit their access to indoor tanning, as the cancer-causing effects of these units have been well-established (and noted by esteemed organizations such as the World Health Organization).

Finally, remember that melanomas can occur anywhere, not just where there has been sun exposure (especially when indoor tanning has been used. Look at yourself top to bottom, use a mirror, ask a friend, and have your physician (dermatologists do this every day) give you a total body skin exam. It may not be dignified, but it can save your life.

The popular TV show "Jersey Shore" introduced the world to a way of living known as "GTL" -- gym, tan, laundry. While we can't argue against the virtues of maintaining your figure or keeping your clothes clean, we do take issue with tanning on a daily basis.

Tanorexia is a relatively new term to describe people who suffer from the need to over-tan. Psychologists believe people feel pressure to tan because of lack of positive body image or peer pressure from looking too pale. A 2010 study discovered that 27% of surveyed college students in the U.S. have a psychological dependence on tanning in ultraviolet (UV)-light beds and booths.

The bad news is that just like cigarettes and smoking, there is no safe amount of tanning that can be done. The dangers of tanning beds are in their exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. While the tanning bed industry would like you to think that only the "safe" ultraviolet rays are used, this just isn't the case. Ultraviolet A, which is predominately found in tanning beds, penetrates more deeply into the skin than ultraviolet B. This leads not only to skin cancer, but is also a major cause of early wrinkling and leathery skin.

A scary fact is that tanning bed use before the age of 30 leads to a 75% increased risk of melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. In fact, we are seeing an epidemic of cancers in young women and men after the tanning bed industry boom. The National institutes of Health (NIH) found melanoma rates have tripled in the last 30 years. This alarming statistic and the increase in skin cancers in tanning bed users caused the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to reclassify tanning beds as a class I carcinogen.

If you absolutely must lie in the sun, I recommend lathering on the sunscreen. I suggest using a sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of, at least, 30 and to reapply every 30 minutes.