Tanning has been a beauty technique for at least the last century—young women (and men) will often flock outside to get that sun-kissed glow. With the advent of tanning beds, tanning has become more convenient and dangerous. According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), use of tanning beds can lead to premature skin aging and skin cancers, including potentially fatal melanoma. This risk is especially high for younger people and frequent indoor tanners.
However, knowing of the dangers of indoor tanning doesn’t seem to stop young women from tanning, per a new study from Indiana University. For many, looking good outweighs the risk of skin cancer.
Knowing the Risks and Choosing to Tan
Researchers at Indiana University surveyed 629 white female undergraduate and graduate students about their tanning habits. Many of the women knew that tanning bed use could cause premature skin aging and cancer, and almost 80 percent didn’t believe that indoor tanning was safe or any safer than outdoor tanning.
Despite acknowledging the danger of tanning—and indoor tanning especially-- about seven out of ten women asserted that they like to get a tan regardless of its harmful effects. 84 percent of the sample said they choose to tan because it makes them feel more attractive.
There is ample evidence that indoor tanning is linked to an increased risk of skin cancer. A study published by the University of Oslo, which followed 141,000 Norwegian women over 14 years, determined that women who had 30 or more indoor tanning sessions had a 32 percent increased risk of melanoma compared to women who never tanned indoors.
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| Tanning causes many harmful UV rays to penetrate the skin at once. Source: fda.gov |
What Can We Learn from These Studies?
Despite widely disseminated research regarding the dangers of tanning and sunbeds, women still tan.
Indoor tanning is especially fraught with dangers, as modern tanning beds can emit six times more UVA and twice as much UVB compared to outdoor tanning. Outdoor tanning is still dangerous, and sunscreen should be applied before long exposure to the sun, but indoor tanning is far more dangerous.
