Winter Approaches: Risks of Tanning Beds
As winter draws closer, some might be considering a trip to the local tanning bed. However, recent research suggests these devices could be significantly harmful to your skin, potentially even more than regular sun exposure.
Researchers from Northwestern University and the University of California, San Francisco, analyzed medical records of individuals who use tanning beds. Notably, these users exhibited a higher risk of melanoma than those who didn’t, and they also showed increased instances of cancer mutations in areas of the body that typically aren’t exposed to the sun.
“The evidence is quite clear to me,” said Alan Hunter Shain, a cancer biologist at UCSF. “Tanning beds pose a uniquely dangerous risk for skin cancer,” he told Gizmodo.
The Unique Risks of Tanning Beds
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary factor associated with skin cancer, including melanoma. While most cases stem from sunlight exposure, tanning beds pose a significant risk, too. The tanning bed industry has often claimed that these devices are no more harmful than sun exposure. However, Shain emphasized that tanning beds can deliver intense UV exposure throughout the year and to any part of the body, which is quite different from natural sunlight.
The authors of the study had also noticed an uptick in unusual skin cancer cases among younger patients, including multiple melanomas, which they believed were linked to tanning bed use.
To assess the risks more accurately, researchers dove into the medical records of about 3,000 tanning bed users and compared them to similar individuals who had not used tanning beds. In another part of the study, they genetically sequenced skin cells from both groups.
Overall, 5.1% of tanning bed users were diagnosed with melanomas, compared to 2.1% of those who didn’t use them. Even after accounting for factors like family history, the researchers found tanning bed use was still tied to a nearly threefold increase in melanoma risk. Those who used tanning beds more frequently had a notably higher likelihood of developing melanomas in areas rarely exposed to sunlight, like the buttocks and lower back.
The genetic analysis also revealed alarming trends.
“We observed tanning bed users in their 30s and 40s had more mutations in their skin cells than individuals in their 70s and 80s from the general population,” Swain mentioned. “They had effectively accumulated damage comparable to a lifetime of UV exposure by the age of 30, due to continuous access to artificial UV radiation.”
These findings were published in Science Advances.
Action on Tanning Beds
Considering these risks, the authors argue for stricter regulations on tanning beds, especially for younger individuals who may not fully understand the dangers. Organizations like the World Health Organization have long recommended prohibiting the use of tanning beds for anyone under 18, and some countries have already banned such practices for minors.
“Many patients suffering from the consequences of tanning bed use were initially exposed as minors, possibly lacking the maturity to make informed health choices,” commented Pedram Gerami, a professor of skin cancer research at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
At a minimum, there should be greater public education about the risks associated with tanning beds. According to Gerami, as few as ten tanning bed sessions can more than double one’s lifetime risk of melanoma, a particularly lethal type of skin cancer. Overall, skin cancer is estimated to claim the lives of 11,000 Americans annually, with over 8,000 of those deaths attributed to melanoma.
“Even if individuals do not succumb to the disease, they may endure substantial health issues and emotional distress,” Gerami warned.
The research team plans to further investigate how tanning beds influence cancer risk. Since these beds can emit unusual combinations of UV radiation that aren’t naturally produced by the sun, they might induce unique mutations as well. This is an avenue they are currently exploring.
