Indoor Tanning and Melanoma
Source: Dermatology Times, March 2023
The well-established link between excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation, whether from natural sunlight or from indoor tanning machines, and the development of all types of skin cancer is nothing new to dermatologists. However, a recent study1 clearly shows that the association between the use of tanning machines and the development of multiple primary melanomas is alarmingly high, with or without familial predisposition. It is therefore paramount that this very sobering fact be brought home to all clinicians and their patients and underscores the need for increased patient education regarding the very real dangers of this still popular social fad.
“It is my personal experience that by and large, the number one reason that I see patients with multiple melanomas is because they use tanning beds and have a strong history of tanning bed use,” said Pedram Gerami, MD, professor of dermatology and pathology, director of the Skin Cancer Institute of Northwestern Medicine (SCIN-med), and director of the melanoma program of SCIN-med at Northwestern University Department of Dermatology and the Lurie Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois, and co-author of the study.
The risk of indoor tanning machine usage and the development of skin cancer has been known for quite some time. Nevertheless, many people still regularly visit tanning salons to get that “perfect tan," despite knowing about the risk and negative impact that UV exposure can have on their skin and general health.