New Study Strongly Demonstrating Long Suspected Association Between Indoor Tanning and Skin Cancer Risk

Those people that regularly use tanning beds actually triple if not quadruple the risk of developing melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer associated with over exposure to the sun.

A new study has been done which was actually initiated to study limitations of past research that allows the tanning industry to continue to deny that indoor tanning can and does cause melanoma. It is the largest study of its kind and it is coming out with its results just as the federal regulators are considering new regulations to limit teens in their use of commercial tanning.

Compared to people who have never done indoor tanning, people who use the tanning beds have a 74% higher risk for melanoma. The risk was as much as four times more if they were using the high-pressure tanning beds that use mostly UVA radiation.

One researcher suggests that there is no such thing as a safe tanning device.

The American Cancer Society actually predicted a huge number of people to develop melanoma and die from the disease, and that was only for the year 2009. They predicted 70,000 would develop melanoma and 8,500 would die from it.

Melanoma is a very fast growing cancer statistic among Caucasians. The numbers actually increased by 2% a year between 1997 and 2006. And it was during this time that the popularity of indoor tanning exploded. During the 1980s there were only a few tanning salons and most people were leery of using them. Today it is estimated that more than 30 million Americans use them each year.

Researchers feel there is a clear link between the rise in use of tanning beds and the increase in melanoma. But the problem is that people that indoor tan also tan in the sun. This has been the loophole used by the tanning industry to claim that indoor tanning is not to blame. Also there has not been any clear distinction in previous studies in the type of tanning bed used; the high-speed machine emits UVB rays and the popular high-pressure beds which emit almost exclusively UVA rays.

There were some interesting and surprising findings that came from this study.

1. The risk of melanoma increases with exposure regardless if the high-speed or high-pressure tanning beds were used.

2. It was common to get a burn while using tanning beds.

3. There was a strong association between the melanomas that originated on the trunk, and in women it is an area generally not exposed to UV rays unless there is tanning involved.

4. And research did not show a specific rise in risk for use of the tanning bed at a young age. But it definitely showed an increased risk for increased exposure over time. So starting young and continued use will increase your risk of this potentially deadly disease.

Of course the tanning industry can not allow these findings without a response. Their spokesperson said the findings were misleading because the researchers did not distinguish between people with high risk factors for melanoma and the general populace, which would include being very fair skinned, having excessive moles and freckles and having red hair.

The tanning industry avows that if the high risk groups were removed indoor tanning would actually lower the risk of melanoma.

They also touted that using indoor tanning was a health benefit by increasing vitamin D which is produced in the body by UV exposure.

Despite the tanning industry's loud denial of increased health risk the Federal regulatory agencies may soon be restricting the use of indoor tanning salons.

In 2009 the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that indoor tanning does cause melanoma.

In March 2010, A FDA panel began considering regulatory changes that could restrict access to indoor tanning.

It is felt an outright ban would not be likely, but that minors will not be allowed the use of tanning facilities without their parents' permission.

Although there is still not an absolute answer to this situation, there does seem to be strong evidence against any benefits from indoor tanning, even if it is only measured by the actions taken by the regulatory agencies themselves. The Federal Trade Commission just recently charged the Indoor Tanning Association with falsely denying the association of melanoma and the use of indoor tanning, and for exaggerating the benefits of indoor tanning.

One regulatory spokesperson said that the benefits of indoor tanning or tanning in the sun are a myth. A tan is simply a response to injury, whether from indoor tanning or outdoor sunshine.

Sources:

June 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Melanoma/skin cancer health risk

CNN/health