Widespread Use of Indoor Tanning by Adults

Age is no guarantee of wisdom.

More than 30 million individuals use tanning beds in the U.S. each year, a growing number despite the designation of tanning beds as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization (see JW Dermatol Jul 30 2009). Some researchers have suggested that increased use of tanning beds explains at least some of the escalating incidence of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer, particularly in younger individuals. Although many tanning parlor visitors are adolescents, adults also partake. Researchers reviewed data from the National Cancer Institute's 2005 Health Information National Trends Study (HINTS) to ascertain how often.

Significantly more women than men (18% vs. 6%) used tanning beds in t…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)