Rising Melanoma Rates in Youth Linked to Tanning Bed Usage
A rising number in teens who used Tanning Beds during the 1990s has shown a drastic increase in Melanoma rates, according to expert analysis from the American Academy of Dermatology.
Dr. Darrell S. Rigel, a dermatologist at New York University, considers this new information on the harmful effects of tanning beds essential to share with the public, stating that it is “very analogous to cigarette smoking”.
Rigel states that physicians need to educate teenage girls and the general public about the dangers of this sort tanning, adding “All we can do is get the word out and hope that people do less harm to themselves.”
Active tanning bed users are encouraged to seek alternative methods of safe tanning, such as spray on tans. While they may not provide the same authenticity, they are much safer, as even a single tanning session can significantly increase the risk of melanoma.
Recently, spikes in melanoma occurrence among young Caucasian women have been “especially rapid,” according to reports published earlier in the year (J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 2011;103:171). The rate for this demographic has been on the rise an average of 3.8% annually, and has been linked with the increased popularity of tanning beds among teens.
While Dr. Rigel has said that virtually every one of his female patients diagnosed with Melanoma in their 20s and 30s has gone to a tanning salon, that wasn’t always the case.
“Twenty years ago, it was rare to see a woman in her 20s with melanoma, and we also did not see a lot among women in their 30s,” says Dr. Rigel. “Now, we commonly see cases of women in their 20s, and everyone one of them has a tanning history. The foremost issue for melanoma in women is tanning beds. For the first time, we’re seeing an increased incidence of melanoma in young women in their 20s and 30s, and the only thing they appear to do differently than young men is go to tanning salons.”
Information Courtesy Family Practice News, Sept. 2011
Rising Melanoma Rates in Youth Linked to Tanning Bed Usage
A rising number in teens who used Tanning Beds during the 1990s has shown a drastic increase in Melanoma rates, according to expert analysis from the American Academy of Dermatology.
Dr. Darrell S. Rigel, a dermatologist at New York University, considers this new information on the harmful effects of tanning beds essential to share with the public, stating that it is “very analogous to cigarette smoking”.
Rigel states that physicians need to educate teenage girls and the general public about the dangers of this sort tanning, adding “All we can do is get the word out and hope that people do less harm to themselves.”
Active tanning bed users are encouraged to seek alternative methods of safe tanning, such as spray on tans. While they may not provide the same authenticity, they are much safer, as even a single tanning session can significantly increase the risk of melanoma.
Recently, spikes in melanoma occurrence among young Caucasian women have been “especially rapid,” according to reports published earlier in the year (J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 2011;103:171). The rate for this demographic has been on the rise an average of 3.8% annually, and has been linked with the increased popularity of tanning beds among teens.
While Dr. Rigel has said that virtually every one of his female patients diagnosed with Melanoma in their 20s and 30s has gone to a tanning salon, that wasn’t always the case.
“Twenty years ago, it was rare to see a woman in her 20s with melanoma, and we also did not see a lot among women in their 30s,” says Dr. Rigel. “Now, we commonly see cases of women in their 20s, and everyone one of them has a tanning history. The foremost issue for melanoma in women is tanning beds. For the first time, we’re seeing an increased incidence of melanoma in young women in their 20s and 30s, and the only thing they appear to do differently than young men is go to tanning salons.”
Information Courtesy Family Practice News, Sept. 2011