“Spring Break 85’..We’re just here to have fun.” That was our motto and fun we had, spending most of our time frying on the beach. Sure I hit the tanning bed before I left so I wouldn’t burn, but burn I did. The tops of my hands blistered, yet I stayed out in the sun. Now I have freckles and scars on the tops of my hands to remind me of my youthful transgression but younger people are still not getting the message of the real dangers of tanning.

We now know that excess UV radiation causes wrinkles and skin cancer yet 30 million Americans visit tanning salons each year. Many will become extreme tanorexics or tan addicts. Paleness or a fading tan becomes the obsession. I recently witnessed this when I went to a salon and saw a very tan girl checking in. She said to the receptionist, “I wish that I could stop but I have a date this weekend so I have to tan.” Her whole psyche revolved around her tan. Some studies have shown that 26-53% of beach goers have a tanning dependency.

First let’s talk tanning beds because I hear all too often. I go to the tanning bed so I won’t burn.

Contrary to what the industry would like you to believe, tanning beds are not safe. They were declared the highest level of carcinogen (on the same level as mustard gas and arsenic) by the International Agency for the Research on Cancer this past summer.

Tanning beds contain both UV-B and UV-A rays although they tend to have less UVB radiation than sun exposure, UVB is most responsible for sunburns but UVA rays penetrate deeper and can cause allergic reactions as well as cell damage.

Risks of Tanning Beds

1. Cancer

Tanning beds have 4x’s the amount of UVA radiation than the sun. It penetrates deep into the dermis of the skin increasing your risk of melanoma by 75% if you tan indoors before age 30. Skin cancer is the most common form of all cancers with one million cases diagnosed yearly and one American dies every 62 minutes from melanoma.

2. Wrinkles

UVA penetrates deep causing skin to lose elasticity and promotes leathery skin that may not show up for years

3. Immune Suppression

Your body’s natural defenses may be decreased with UV radiation and some studies have shown that sun radiation may increase your chance for autoimmune disease.

4. Eye Damage

Tanning beds increase the risk of ocular melanoma even if your eyes are closed.

5. Allergic reaction

Tanning beds are more likely to cause sun poisoning or an allergic reaction because of the long UV-A wavelengths.

Read more hazards of tanning.

What about tanning before I go on a trip so I don’t burn?

It has been shown that people that tan before a trip actually are more likely to burn because they are using less protection. A tan does not prevent all burns. A tan is like wearing an SPF 4, which provides minimal burn protection and not the recommended 30 – 50 SPF. A friend of mine recently suffered extreme sun poisoning from a tanning bed that ironically, she went to in preparation for trip to Cancun. She did not use for beyond the recommended times but the UVA radiation penetrated deep in to the dermis causing the poisoning effect.

What is tanorexia?

Tanorexia is where tanning becomes an addiction and it goes far above feeling better with a tan. Studies have shown that certain people get an emotional high or surge of endorphins with tanning. They actually experience withdrawal in the form of nausea and shakes when those endorphins were blocked.


They also have likely Body Dysmorphic Disorder where they obsess about being tanner and in constant fear of fading. Tanorexia is not yet in the DSM-IV but many consider it to be a form of a substance abuse disorder.

What can you do if you think that you have tanorexia?

We would hope that the fear of cancer and wrinkles would be enough but the fact is that many tanorexics already have family members that have suffered from skin cancer so it is difficult to scare them straight. It appears to be a psychological addiction and needs to be treated like one. Like any other addiction, they would most likely benefit from psychological treatment, exercises to increase in self-esteem and even a 12-step program.

How about Sunless tans?

Sunless tanning usually refers to a color additive like DHA (dihydroxyacetone) that reacts with amino acids on the skin surface to produce color. It appears to be safe however the FDA does advise that if using a spray tan or mist that eyes, lips and all mucous membranes be protected. They also request that consumers be protected from inhaling or ingesting the mist.

Sunless tanning still requires sunscreen when outdoors. It won’t provide the endorphin high but many will feel better with the extra color.

Many years ago, my father asked my what is the one thing that you know now as a doctor that you wish you knew before. Unequivocally, I wish that I had not burned in the sun. I didn’t know the dangers of UV radiation and have the wrinkles to prove it. Please let, especially the young people, who are most at risk know their beauty without the dangers of UV radiation.

I do wish we had a little more sun outside!

Hope Spring comes soon!

Dr. Deb