Study: Indoor Tanning Increases Melanoma

Frequent use of a tanning bed greatly raises your risk of the most deadly form of skin cancer, a new study finds. Researchers used a state database on cancer. They collected data on 1,167 people who had melanoma. They were compared with 1,101 people who never had melanoma. This second group was randomly selected from driver’s license records. People in the study filled out mail questionnaires. Then they were interviewed by phone. Researchers adjusted results to account for sun exposure and other factors that affect skin cancer risk. They found that people who had ever used a tanning bed were 74% more likely to develop melanoma. Risk was even higher among frequent users. These were people who had used tanning beds for at least 50 hours, or regularly for at least 10 years. Their risk of melanoma was 2.5 to 3 times as high as for people who never did indoor tanning.