{"id":8163,"date":"2024-05-02T13:41:55","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T13:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/?p=8163"},"modified":"2024-05-02T13:41:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T13:41:55","slug":"why-is-indoor-tanning-still-legal-when-we-know-it-causes-skin-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/why-is-indoor-tanning-still-legal-when-we-know-it-causes-skin-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Ask the Expert: Why Is Indoor Tanning Still Legal When We Know It Causes Skin Cancer?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Q: It\u2019s a well-established fact that using tanning beds (especially at a young age) greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancers, including melanoma. So why are UV tanning salons still allowed to remain open?\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Blair Murphy-Rose, MD<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: It\u2019s terrible, right? There\u2019s overwhelming evidence that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/indoor-tanning-101-do-you-know-the-risks\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tanning beds are a carcinogen<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which means we know they cause cancer. The FDA bans other carcinogens, but somehow tanning is still allowed. Let\u2019s look <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/risk-factors\/tanning\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">at some of that evidence<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: In the United States, almost half a million cases of skin cancer a year are linked to indoor tanning.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Research shows that 97 percent of women who are diagnosed with melanoma before the age of 30 had a history of tanning bed use. And there\u2019s a 75 percent increase in risk of developing melanoma if you\u2019ve used a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/skin-cancer-facts\/#tanning\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">tanning bed before the age of 35<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Even one session is dangerous. A 2021 review of 54 studies, in fact, confirmed that indoor tanning is associated with increased risk of early-onset melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers, especially in those who used indoor tanning from a young age.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So why is it still legal? In part, it\u2019s because the tanning bed industry has proponents that help protect it, and they spread<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/5-myths-indoor-tanning-busted\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> harmful misinformation<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. One myth is that tanning beds help your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/ask-the-expert-can-a-tanning-bed-safely-provide-me-with-the-vitamin-d-i-need\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">body produce vitamin D<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. But most beds use bulbs that only emit ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which don\u2019t affect vitamin D levels. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/should-you-take-a-vitamin-d-supplement\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">If you\u2019re lacking vitamin D<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, you can get the recommended 600 to 800 international units (IU) from vitamin D3 fortified foods such as juices and milk or a supplement to close the gap.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Another misconception is that because tanning beds emit mostly UVA rays, they\u2019re safer than going out in the sun, but that\u2019s not true at all. UVA rays are absolutely linked to skin cancer and penetrate skin deeper than UVB. Plus, the bulbs used in the beds are developed to induce a change in the color of your skin quickly; you\u2019re getting tan fast because there\u2019s more damage at the DNA level.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Back in 2015, the FDA tried to ban tanning bed use in people under the age of 18 in the U.S. and require adults to sign a document acknowledging the dangers of tanning, Sadly, this proposed rule still has not been put in place. It\u2019s currently left to state and local governments to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/indoor-tanning-legislation-heres-stand\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">restrict or ban indoor tanning<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. California was the first state to ban indoor tanning for minors in 2012. Since then, 43 more states have either banned or at least restricted tanning bed use in minors.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/tanning\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">under-18 age group<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is particularly important because this is the time when maybe you don\u2019t know about the dangers; or maybe you\u2019re in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/blog\/how-to-talk-to-your-teen-about-tanning\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">denial of the dangers<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. And we know there is a huge link between UV exposure when you\u2019re young and developing melanoma and other skin cancers. The more exposure you\u2019ve had at a young age, the more years you have for that UV damage to cause DNA changes that could develop into a life-threatening skin cancer down the road.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There is a tanning tax that is believed to help curb some of the use in minors, but that\u2019s certainly not enough. And, really, indoor tanning should be banned for all ages. It\u2019s just hard to pass legislation like this. There have been a lot of petitions calling for a ban, including <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/get-involved\/sign-the-petition\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Skin Cancer Foundation\u2019s recent joint effort with Refinery29<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> urging the FDA to finalize the 2015 proposed rule. [<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Editor\u2019s note: In early 2024, the FDA moved the proposed rule that would ban minors from tanning into the final rulemaking stage. The Skin Cancer Foundation is watching for further developments.<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">]\u202fThese changes are long overdue. Hopefully, one day soon, indoor tanning will be a thing of the past. <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2014 Interview by Amy Brightfield<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8165 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Blair-Murphy-Rose-MD-Headshot-copy-590x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"182\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Blair-Murphy-Rose-MD-Headshot-copy-590x600.jpg 590w, https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Blair-Murphy-Rose-MD-Headshot-copy-75x75.jpg 75w, https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Blair-Murphy-Rose-MD-Headshot-copy.jpg 743w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 182px) 100vw, 182px\" \/><\/p>\n<h5>ABOUT THE EXPERT:<\/h5>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, <\/span><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. She has been published in peer-reviewed journals including the <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Pediatric Dermatology.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A review confirmed that indoor tanning is associated with increased risk of early onset skin cancers, especially if you\u2019ve used tanning devices at a young age.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1,"featured_media":8164,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5489,2880],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ask-the-expert","category-the-skin-cancer-foundation-journal"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ask the Expert: Why Is Indoor Tanning Still Legal When We Know It Causes Skin Cancer? - The Skin Cancer Foundation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Indoor tanning is strongly linked to skin cancer, especially when used at a young age. 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