A study published in early November revealed a stronger than expected association between tanning beds and melanoma. The public health concern remains high for the accessibility of tanning beds and the increasing rates of melanoma over the past two decades, especially among women in the United States. Melanoma is increasing among women at a rate of 1% annually while melanoma rates in men in America have stabilized.
Melanoma – it’s not a “cut it out cancer”. Skin cancer is serious.
Melanoma accounts for just 1% of all skin cancer incidences but is the deadliest form of skin cancer. On average, an American dies of melanoma every hour. And the sad truth is it is the most preventable cancer.
Small behavioral changes make a big difference in preventing skin cancer. When caught early, skin cancer including many melanomas can be treated.
A real public health challenge in the United States is helping Americans take preventive measures to protect their skin, their body’s largest organ. Many leading public health researchers equate skin cancer prevention education – including melanoma prevention education – as akin to the public health dangers of smoking that were a focus of public health initiatives in the 1970s. Education in the public school systems, increased awareness, and national advertising focused on increasing the link between smoking and serious health issues.
IMPACT Melanoma is at the forefront of awareness and prevention education focused on melanoma and the risks of all skin cancers. We partner with state cancer coalitions, companies, parks and recreations, departments of public health, and many other organizations across the country to reach communities with a common goal of increased awareness, prevention education programs, and emphasis on the importance of early detection to save lives. A focus of our prevention education programs include emphasizing the dangers of the sun’s UV rays and the dangers of UV exposure from tanning beds. While small behavioral changes can have a significant impact in reducing skin cancer risks (e.g., sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and seeking shade), we admit there is a lot of work to do partnering with public health leaders to affect the allure of year-round tans and the use of tanning beds. But, we are up for the challenge.
The Reality and Real Risks of Tanning Beds
Banning tanning beds has been a focus of ours and of many other organizations including leading researchers and public health officials in states across the country. Unfortunately, the reality is that tanning salons are a big and growing industry and tanning bed software sales are projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.97% from 2023 to 2030. The demand for year-round bronzed skin is a reality and puts many more Americans at risk for developing skin cancers including melanoma. For more information on the tanning salon software market click here.
The referenced study was driven by treating patients daily and seeing the devastating effects of skin cancers including melanomas. Lead investigator Oliver Wisco, DO, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University explains, “Every day, we encounter patients diagnosed with melanoma. Witnessing the devastating impact of this disease drives us to find ways to prevent it. Despite the well-known dangers of UV radiation, access to tanning beds remains widespread, and their usage continues to be prevalent in many regions.” The study revealed a strong association between access to tanning salons and increased rates in melanoma. While perhaps intuitive, the study also revealed that for every one-minute increase in average travel time to tanning facilities within a 30-minute travel time threshold, the melanoma incidence rate decreased by 3.46% in the same county and 1.92% across New England. These results suggest that people in regions with more tanning bed facilities may experience higher incidences of melanoma.
Dr. Wisco described the study results as follows: “Although we anticipated finding a connection between tanning beds and melanoma, the strength of the association was more pronounced than expected. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence linking tanning bed usage to increased melanoma risk. These results provide critical insights to inform public health strategies aimed at reducing tanning bed use and ultimately, melanoma incidence. We hope to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their skin health and protect themselves from this disease.”
Conclusion
As we look ahead to 2025, we strive to reach more communities including those where tanning bed usage is popular. It takes a village to help educate – while not preaching – about alternatives to feeling good in one’s own skin while not risking a diagnosis of melanoma due to use of a tanning bed.
The numbers are stark. UV exposure is directly linked to skin cancer including melanoma. Tanning beds are a known source of dangerous UV exposure.
Please take care of your skin. And help others feel good about themselves while avoiding behaviors that put their lives at risk.
Read more from the study here.
Learn more about being a Partner in Prevention with IMPACT Melanoma.
