The Surgeon General has called on partners in prevention from various sectors to address skin cancer as a major public health problem. One of the main goals outlined in The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer is to reduce harm from indoor tanning, which has been linked to increased risk for skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Based on reports from the American Cancer Society, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Trade Commission, Mayo Clinic, and US Food and Drug Administration, the following common myths about indoor tanning should be communicated to dermatology patients.
Myth: Indoor tanning will not increase your risk for skin cancer.
Fact: As many as 90% of melanomas are caused by UV exposure. Indoor tanning exposure to UVA and UVB radiation damages the skin and may lead to cancer. Melanoma is linked to severe sunburns, especially at a young age.
Myth: Indoor tanning is safer than tanning outdoors because it is a controlled dose of UV radiation.
Fact: Both indoor tanning and tanning outside are dangerous. Tanning beds may be more dangerous than the sun because they can be used at the same high intensity every day of the year, regardless of time of day, season, or cloud cover. Furthermore, the Surgeon General and US Food and Drug Administration report that an estimated 3000 Americans each year go to emergency departments with injuries caused by indoor tanning, including burns, eye injuries, immune suppression, and allergic reactions. Indoor tanning also causes premature skin aging.
Myth: A “base tan” protects your skin from sunburn.
Fact: Although many patients believe that a few sessions of indoor tanning will prevent them from burning in the sun, a tan does little to protect the skin from future UV exposure. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that people who tan indoors are more likely to report getting sunburned. The best way to protect the skin from sunburn is by using sun protection and avoiding indoor tanning.
Myth: Indoor tanning is a safe way to increase vitamin D levels.
Fact: It is important to get enough vitamin D; however, the safest way is through what you eat. Although UVB radiation helps the body produce vitamin D, patients do not need a tan to get that benefit. Ten to 15 minutes of unprotected natural sun exposure on the face and hands 2 to 3 times a week during the summer allows for a healthy dose of vitamin D. Dietary sources, such as low-fat milk, salmon, tuna, and fortified orange juice, are the safest way to get enough vitamin D.
Myth: Indoor tanning is approved by the government.
Fact: According to the Federal Trade Commission, no US government agency recommends the use of indoor tanning equipment. Tanning bed use by minors has been banned in many states, and efforts are ongoing to protect consumers younger than 18 years on local, state, and federal levels. In July 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, moved tanning devices that emit UV radiation into the highest cancer risk category—carcinogenic to humans—concluding that they are more dangerous than previously thought.
Studies have consistently shown that indoor tanning increases a person’s risk of getting skin cancer and indoor tanning at a young age appears to be more strongly related to lifetime skin cancer risk. Patients should be reminded that every time they tan, they increase their risk of melanoma as well as premature skin aging and other skin cancers. Dermatologists should counsel patients on using sun protection and avoiding indoor tanning.