If you tan indoors because you think it is a safer way to get some color, you may want to think again. Because many people don’t burn when they tan indoors, it is common to think that this form of tanning reduces your risk of developing skin cancer. However, in a recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, new evidence suggests that tanning indoors even without getting burned still puts you at high risk for melanoma.
In the study, about 900 melanoma patients who had either never tanned indoors, or had tanned indoors without getting burned, were compared with a control group of healthy men and women. As expected, it was found that more of the cancer patients reported tanning indoors as compared to the healthy individuals. The more surprising results of the study came when researchers examined only the people who said they had never been sunburned. It was found that those with skin cancer were four times more likely to be indoor tanners, tanned indoors more frequently, and started tanning at a younger age than the control group.
Dr. Dale Isaacson reminds us that “tanning, no matter how you do it, is dangerous. Indoor tanning exposes you to ultraviolet light that will damage your skin and subsequently increases your risk of developing skin cancer.” It is important to remember that skin cancers are generally curable if caught early.
Call DC Derm Docs to schedule a skin care evaluation.
