Do you have clients who tan despite your warnings? There might be a reason for it, as tanning was found to be an addictive activity by The Yale School of Public Health. Researchers in the study, which was published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, found that not only might clients have a dependence on tanning, but they are also likely to suffer from other addictive behaviors.
Linked Conditions
The study surveyed 499 Caucasian, non-hispanics who previously sunbathed or used tanning beds. Their goal was to identify predictors of tanning dependence (TD). The researchers surveyed the participants to see if they exhibited other addictive behaviors (nicotine, alcohol, season affective distorder (SAD), exercise addiction and depression).
Of those classified as having TD, women comprised the majority. Alcohol dependence, SAD and exercise addiction were all seen in higher numbers in those with TD and therefore classified as predictors of TD.
Further Research And Skin Cancer
It was concluded that chronic tanners may have other addictions, including an obsession with their appearance. The researchers are hoping that their findings along with further research can help lead to the development of interventions for those with TD.
This, of course, is part of a larger-scale effort to prevent the skin cancer caused by tanning. In the past, the researchers at the university found a correlation between indoor tanning and basal cell carcinoma, which is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer. After the university researchers testified before a state legislative committee in 2013 about the health risks of indoor tanning, the legislature passed a law banning the use of indoor tanning beds for individuals under the age of 17.
