Adverse effects of ultraviolet radiation from the use of indoor tanning equipment: Time to ban the tan

UV and dietary predictors of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations among young shift-working nurses and implications for bone density and skin cancer

“…Tanning bed use is most common among white ethnic groups and among higher income groups (29,30) as represented by the working nurses in our study, which may be why tanning bed use was more common in our study than among the general Canadian population of the same age and gender. Although the tanning industry claims that tanning bed use helps prevent vitamin D deficiency (31) , the health hazards from exposure to tanning beds are well documented (32) . Tanning beds emit variable amounts of UVA and UVB radiation in doses often higher than that emitted by the Table 3 Summary of associations between potential seasonal predictors and serum 25(OH)D variation (nmol/l) among the study population: female, premenopausal, shift-working nurses *One participant excluded due to missing BMI value.…”

“…sun, resulting in increased risk for UV overexposure (32) . The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified tanning beds as a cause of skin cancer (33) , supported by extensive literature showing that their use causes higher risks for melanoma and other skin cancers (34,35) .…”

Preventing Skin Cancer Through Reduction of Indoor Tanning

“…The FDA currently classifies indoor tanning devices as Class I medical devices-the same classification as bandages, tongue depressors, and other devices that pose minimal dangers to consumers. 55,56 The American Academy of Dermatology, the Skin Cancer Foundation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other experts on the relationship between skin cancer and indoor tanning have urged the FDA to reconsider the classification. [57][58][59][60] In light of the WHO's designation of tanning devices as known carcinogens, a Class I designation may no longer be appropriate.…”

“…55,56 Class III medical devices are also subject to a pre-market approval process. Some tanning salons and representatives of the tanning industry point to the current state of regulation as evidence that indoor tanning device use is safe, claiming that if tanning devices were dangerous then the government would regulate them more strictly.…”

A Dermatologist's Perspective on Vitamin D

“…56 In recent years, strong evidence has indicated that the use of tanning beds is addictive and associated with the development of skin cancers, including melanoma. 52,[56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64] As previously mentioned, in 2007, the International Agency for Research on Cancer published a special report on human carcinogens and raised the classification of UV-emitting tanning devices to group 1 (carcinogenic to humans). 52 The World Health Organization has recommended a complete ban on indoor tanning for minors younger than 18 years.…”