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Momania: A Blog for Busy Moms

Can tanning be addictive?

12:05 am January 5, 2012, by Theresa Walsh Giarrusso

Why do 30 million Americans a year continue to tan indoors in UV beds and booths with all the warnings about skin cancer?

A new report in the journal Addiction Biology reveals that UV light actually stimulates parts of the brain that play a role in addiction.

From The New York Times:

“What the researchers found was that several parts of the brain that play a role in addiction were activated when the subjects were exposed to UV rays. The findings, which appear in the coming issue of the journal Addiction Biology, may help explain why some people continue to tan often despite awareness about risks such as skin cancer, premature aging and wrinkles.”

“What this shows is that the brain is in fact responding to UV light, and it responds in areas that are associated with reward,” said Dr. Bryon Adinoff, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and an author of the study. “These are areas, particularly the striatum, that we see activated when someone is administered a drug or a high-value food like sugar…”

“Dr. Adinoff said the research suggests that some people appear addicted to tanning, a finding bolstered by the fact that many longtime tanners have a difficult time stopping or even just cutting back on tanning sessions. He said the research was inspired by a colleague, based on her experiences with dermatology patients.”

“ ‘She approached me because of her concern about young adults who were coming to see her with these beautiful bronze tans,’ he said. ‘And she would cut out skin cancers, and they would immediately go back to tanning.’ ”

Doctors treat seasonal depression in some people by exposing them to sun lamps. It kind of makes sense that the UV rays trigger something in our brains that make people feel good. And I guess addiction isn’t too far behind if we want to feel that way all the time.

Are you surprised that the UV rays stimulate brain chemistry? Does it surprise you that it affects the reward/addiction areas? Does that makes sense to you why some people don’t stop tanning despite the risks? Do you know anyone that seems “addicted” to tanning?

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25 comments Add your comment

catlady

January 5th, 2012
6:56 am

I know several addicts. One has even had several skin cancer lesions cut off! Most quit the first time that happens.

As a redhead with blue eyes, tanning has never worked for me. I burn quite well, and I am sure I have done myself serious damage prior to 25 years ago, when I began using very strong sunblock. That ghostly (and freckled) palor for me! I still get a little farmer’s tan each year, primarily on my arms, from gardening before 10 am and after 5 pm.

I was urged years ago to get sun to treat my psorisis, but I told the dermatologist I thought that was stupid, and I never did do that. It worked well for my mom, an olive skinned woman with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, but not for me!

I know a tanner who once declared, “It might give me cancer, but I will look GOOD in that casket!” Now that she has had a few removed, she has reverted to her naturally light-skinned look.

pws

January 5th, 2012
7:45 am

I am appalled at the mothers who introduce their daughters to this practice. We have middle school girls who use tanning beds, and mom encourages the experience. My youngest daughter, first year med school student tried to convince some of her peers in high school of how risky this practice was, and she was laughed at and riddiculed by not only her peers, but their moms as well. All of us should be using sunblock, but somehow there are a lot of moms who will use it on their younger kids, but then encourage their preteens and teens to get that “beautiful tan”. I don’t understand why you would do this to your kids.

Augusta

January 5th, 2012
8:08 am

Coppertone Sport SPF 30 is my best friend!!!!

mystery poster

January 5th, 2012
8:08 am

“…young adults who were coming to see her with these beautiful bronze tans.”

I wonder where she was seeing these young adults. Everyone I’ve ever seen with a tanning bed tan has that oompa-loompa orange glow.

Can tanning be addictive? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Safe Tan Rx

January 5th, 2012
8:11 am

[...] See the article here: Can tanning be addictive? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]

Tired Mom

January 5th, 2012
8:11 am

It is the best 20 minute nap you can take. Wear SPF. Like any vice…..just dont over do.

Augusta

January 5th, 2012
8:38 am

Women are all in to fakeness. We have fake fingernails, fake eyelashes, fake eyeliner, and now fake tans…..why can’t we just accept ourselves and learn to love ourselves as we are? Oh wait I know, we have to out-do one another. If Jane looks good with a tan, then I must get a better tan, and go to the tanning bed every day…if Molly gets her nails done, then I must get mine done.

I think this is what Keeping up with the Joneses must be like…….no thank you. I’ll keep my nice frugal lifestyle and not spend money on foolish things, like fake tans……I’d rather take the family on a nice cruise this summer…..

Cranston

January 5th, 2012
8:55 am

The sun emits UV light, and we’ve been exposed to it all of our lives. If this study is valid, how come every human on earth hasn’t developed an addiction to sunlight?

There is no valid reason whatsoever to purposely expose one’s body to UV light. People who feel a need to alter their appearance, by doing things to their body like tanning, typically have self confidence issues. They are not comfortable with who they are and think that by altering their skin color they can be noticed. If it works for them, I have no problem with it.

Doug McNabb

January 5th, 2012
8:57 am

FEAR FEAR FEAR! Tanning is not addictive, we simply crave what nature intended!

Linking addiction to our need for sunlight is at the very least misleading if not an out and out lie.

This supposed addiction is condition made up by dermatologists to scare us out of the sun and tanning beds. Using the word tan in this context is misleading. Tanning is not addictive. As the article says, it is exposure to UV light that impacts brain chemistry, NOT THE TAN but the UV light. You would desire UV exposure whether or not your skin turned brown. Nature intended us to be exposed to UV light for a number of reasons.

Perhaps dermatologists want us back in their own tanning beds. In the 90’s Phototherapy (UV tanning beds) visits performed in dermatologist offices declined at a startling rate in the U.S. There were 873,000 visits for UV light therapy in 1993-1994, 189,000 in 1995-1996, and 53,000 in 1997-1998. The attached research even notes tanning beds as one of the main reasons. Check out this link to the proof…and they cite tanning beds as one of the reasons!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11907508

K's mom

January 5th, 2012
8:58 am

I will likely get bashed for this one, but here goes. I have done tanning twice…once before a trip to Hawaii and before my Honeymoon to Curacao. I am very fair and always burn the first day of a sunny vacation and did not want to ruin two expensive vacations being stuck in the room burnt to a crisp. I did 15 minutes, 3 times a week, for 2 weeks prior to each trip. I did not turn orange nor do I have leathery skin and I did not burn on the trips. For me it worked brilliantly and I would consider doing it again when we take another sunny vacation.

I also have to agree with tired mom that those 15 minutes in a tanning bed after a long day at work are HEAVENLY. No phone, no one asking questions, just you and complete relaxation!

Valstake

January 5th, 2012
9:09 am

Living in Florida, I can’t imagine why anyone here would want to climb into a tanning bed, but of course tanning places exist here, as everywhere else. My own opinion is a person with a tan doesn’t look any better (or worse) than someone who doesn’t “tan.” I agree with Augusta that many women have bought into “fake” enhancements; how sad. But their behavior isn’t my concern, so keep it up ladies; if nothing else, you’re helping a subset of the U.S. economy.

Janice

January 5th, 2012
9:09 am

I use to tan…..did it for years. I now have scars from where brown spots were removed and determined that I have skin cancer. I don’t blame tanning beds completely for that, I grew up in 60’s and 70’s so every summer I’d coat with baby oil and bake in the back yard.

Tanning felt good, especially living in the north on those cold winter days that drag on for ever and ever. I stopped when I noticed how haphazardly the bed I was about to lay in was cleaned. Being the germaphobe that I am…..I just left.

Same thing with getting nails done. Allergic to acrylic, so that was not issue, however, wiping tools with alcohol is not an autoclave. I’ll do my own manicure at home, and can put the tools in a pot of boiling water to sanitize them.

JOD

January 5th, 2012
9:10 am

@K’s mom – I did the same thing before my wedding so a) I would have a nice soft tan (I do NOT tan well!) for my fall wedding, and b) I wouldn’t burn up in Puerto Rico on our honeymoon. Never been back since, but don’t regret it.

@Catlady – I’m with you, except I’m blonde. I’ve worn sunscreen every day on my face since my early 20s, and now I wear lotion with sunscreen all over every day. We have a history of skin cancer in my family, so I’ve learned from my mistakes as a teenager. It’s weird though, I still get freckles on my arms while I’m gardening :o|

K's mom

January 5th, 2012
9:25 am

@JOD, we married in mid April and the soft tan against that white dress was nice as well. I have not been back since, but I would go if we plan a sunny vacation!

Figment

January 5th, 2012
9:32 am

I don’t bother with tanning. I tend to just burn anyway but I have fair skin. I’m not much in to “fake” anything, but if it makes the person happy then more power to them.

I do get my nails done, a coating over my own nail so they actually grow and the coating makes them stronger. It can hurt like all heck when you accidentally crack one though. I like having long nails but can’t grow them long without the assitance of the coating.

derek

January 5th, 2012
9:45 am

I think all shades of skin are pretty but one thing is for sure. Tan fat looks better than pale fat

TXMom

January 5th, 2012
10:00 am

I can see where it might be addictive. A friend of mine was actually encouraged to tan by her psychologist after being diagnosed with depression and seasonal affective disorder. It definitely helped lift her mood. However, she stopped after a while because of the skin cancer risk and decided to just spend more time outdoors (covered in sunblock, of course).

Scooby

January 5th, 2012
10:17 am

I thought more people were gravitating to the spray tan.

Are you a complete idiot?

January 5th, 2012
11:03 am

Opiates are addictive. Tanning is not.

Are you a complete idiot?

January 5th, 2012
11:06 am

And……I don\’t get the connection of tanning with raising healthy children without going insane.

Anybody?

Are you a complete idiot?

January 5th, 2012
11:11 am

Why do 30 million Americans a year continue to tan indoors in UV beds and booths with all the warnings about skin cancer?

Why do people still drink and drive? Why do people still smoke? Why do you keep blogging on retarded subjects?

Because people are stupid. So are you.

newblogger

January 5th, 2012
4:58 pm

@are you a complete idiot….Why do read the blog if you think it’s stupid? Why do you post more than once if you don’t get the connection? Why do you keep reading? Oh…the irony!

Arthur

January 9th, 2012
4:13 pm

Tanning doesn’t necessarily have to be addicting. You can use a high pressure tanning unit such as the matrix in park slope tanning salon http://www.parkslopetanning.com/.High pressure tanning lasts longer than average tanning beds or spray tanning. So you get more bang for your buck with less UV-B and a more browning tan. Higher the bed value and lesser the tan times. Tan 3 times a month at Park Slope Tanning & Airbrush Salon and you have a base tan all month long.

Arthur

January 9th, 2012
4:13 pm

anning doesn’t necessarily have to be addicting. You can use a high pressure tanning unit such as the matrix in park slope tanning salon http://www.parkslopetanning.com/. High pressure tanning lasts longer than average tanning beds or spray tanning. So you get more bang for your buck with less UV-B and a more browning tan. Higher the bed value and lesser the tan times. Tan 3 times a month at Park Slope Tanning & Airbrush Salon and you have a base tan all month long.

Carolyn T

January 10th, 2012
6:32 pm

Be responsible is the bottom line!! Don’t BURN, burning is the issue!! Great Explanation by Doug, keep up the good job spreading the truth, one day people will come to their senses just like Dr. OZ finally is!!