Rates of Indoor Tanning Increase With Age

The rates of indoor tanning, a practice responsible for elevating the risk of skin cancers like melanoma by as much as 100%, is increasing among young girls, rising with age and peaking between 18 and 21 years old.

The CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control reported that 29.3% of high school girls who responded to the 2011 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the 2010 National Health Interview Survey tanned at least once in the last 12 month.  Of those, 57% were tanning 10 times a year or more. 

The number of girls who reported tanning at least once a year rose with age, from 14.2% in 14-year-old to 43.8% in those 18 years and older. Trends in women between 30 years and 34 years old showed the reverse, decreasing to 17.4%.

Melanoma rates increased by 59% to 75% among those who began tanning before 35 years old, and 40% to 102% in those who began tanning before age 25 years.  For each additional tanning session per year, risk increased another 1.8%. 

 –Michael Potts

Reference:

Guy G, Berkowitz Z, Watson M, et al. Indoor tanning among young non-hispanic white females [published online ahead of print August 19, 2013]. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;():-. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.10013.