Medical studies and dermatologists explore the effects of tanning beds

By JACKIE WHIPPLE
news@columbiamissourian.com

Indoor tanning has grown five-fold since 1992, increasing to a more than $5 billion dollar industry in the U.S., according to a 2006 assessment by the American Academy of Dermatology.
Numerous studies have found that appearance enhancement motivates most people to seek out tanning facilities, and it is not unusual for tanning services to be offered by fitness centers.

Studies indicate that indoor tanning has increased with young people, especially women. A national study of 6,903 non-Hispanic white adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 found that indoor tanning was prevalent — 28.1 percent reported tanning at least three times a week. The study, “Use of Indoor Tanning Facilities by White Adolescents in the United States,” was published in the September 2003 issue of “Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine.”

A World Health Organization study on sun bed use in adolescents published in 2006 had similar findings. Studies from the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Dermatology indicate links between sunburn and UV light exposure at young ages with skin cancer later in life.

“From a general health perspective, other than very specific skin conditions that I would refer to a dermatologist, I can’t come up with any benefits of indoor tanning,” said Susan Even, a physician and the director of the MU Student Health Center. “I couldn’t adopt any other position than it poses potential serious health risks.”

Ultraviolet light from natural sunshine can provide a source of vitamin D necessary for human health. Although Michael Swann, who was chief resident in the department of dermatology when MU tanning service opened — he has since left MU, said one could also get their daily percentage, without incurring extra risk, by drinking fortified milk, there is no consensus in the medical field as to what source is ideal for obtaining vitamin D.

While some believe that a very small amount of “safe sun” — up to 15 minutes a day — may be helpful for health, it is easy for people to overexpose themselves. Also, some dermatologists prescribe sunlight as a treatment for skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis, or as a combatant to seasonal depression. But Swann said the instructions are very specific as to the time and amount of exposure.

Even so, most doctors don’t recommend using tanning beds.
A 2006 American Medical Association study reported that among 364 physicians who responded to a mailed questionnaire, 100 percent of dermatologists and 84 percent of nondermatologists would discourage nonmedical UV tanning.

Of the physicians who responded, 61 percent did not believe UV tanning use was justified by a desire to improve one’s mood; 77 percent had the same opinion about appearance and 72 percent said it could not be justified to prevent sunburn by developing a base tan.

Numerous studies have found that the incidence of melanoma and other skin cancers is escalating alongside mounting use of tanning beds. The American Academy of Dermatology predicted that more than 250,000 new cases would be diagnosed in 2007, with 90 percent due to exposure to ultraviolet rays, which can come from the sun and tanning beds.

According to the “International Journal of Cancer,” exposure to UV rays from tanning beds before age 35 can increase melanoma risk by 75 percent.

Even the greater public awareness of the correlation between skin damage, cancer and ultraviolet exposure hasn’t deterred people from tanning, researchers have found. Young adults attending college were exceptionally knowledgeable about the health risks of ultraviolet light exposure, according to a 2002 American Medical Association study, but that awareness had little bearing on behavior. Students who believed that a tan projects a healthy appearance were five times more likely to engage in high-risk tanning, the study found.

In addition, studies such as one from the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2005 concluded that individuals who repeatedly expose themselves to UV light might have a novel type of substance-related disorder. Further studies have lead some researchers to theorize that ultraviolet exposure leads to the release of chemicals in the brain called endorphins that are linked to both pain relief and euphoric feelings.

“Studies show that UV light is known to cause cancer, and it’s a known addictive behavior,” Swann said. “It seems ludicrous to have it in a health facility.”

Kim Dude, director of MU’s Wellness Resource Center, said students are adults and can make informed judgments.
“We can’t eliminate all things that are a mixed message,” Dude said. “It’s our responsibility to educate students to make good choices — they take in the information and make decisions.”

Even, of the student health center, wrote a letter in the MizzouRec publication last summer advising students that there is no “safe suntan” and explaining the effects of UV light exposure.

As her letter reflects, Even’s position is that the university is first and foremost an educational institution that ideally provides an environment conducive to health and learning.
Even also said that there are plenty of examples on campus of health inconsistencies, such as having designated areas for smoking instead of a totally smoke-free environment.

“But somewhere there is a line where the individual makes choices,” Even said. “This is a time in their lives that students make decisions that may have an impact later.”

Although she said it’s not her place to say whether or not the tanning facilities should be on campus, Even did say that she’s received letters from concerned parents and faculty about the beds that she passed on to MizzouRec administrators.

ALEX LEWIS /Missourian
One of the tanning beds inside of the MU Recreation Complex's Tiger Spa waits to be used on March 20, 2008.

Types of Skin Cancer

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Melanoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Sources: DR. LUKE WELCH, MU HEALTH CARE; SKINCANCER.ORG; MELANOMA.COM

All Graphics by Kelly Trimble