Do Tans in the Can Keep Us out of the Sun and Salon?

Two new studies address the issue of how use of sunless tanners relates to other tan-seeking behaviors. These products, which earned more than $200 million in revenue in 2008, are advertised as a way to develop and maintain tanned skin while avoiding the dangers of outdoor sunbathing and indoor tanning.

In the first study, researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 1600 adolescents aged 11 to 18 in 2004. Fewer than 11% of all adolescents reported sunless tanner use in the past year, but rates differed sharply for girls (19.2%) and boys (2.7%). Use was also higher among the oldest responders, those with a strong preference for being tan, and those whose parents used these products. In a multivariate analysis, sunless tanner use was …