Headlines - Artificial tanning: a very real but preventable threat

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are either naturally occurring (from the sun) or come from artificial sources: tanning beds and lamps, professional equipment, etc. UV rays have been classified as definite human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Exposure to UV rays causes short-, medium-, and long-term cellular and tissue damage to two organs: the skin and the eye. In the short term, the effects on the skin most commonly cause sunburn, and in the long term, premature skin aging and skin cancers: melanoma, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50 to 90% of all skin cancers are linked to UV rays.

In France, with nearly 10,000 new cases per year, skin melanoma is a common cancer, one of the distinctive features of which is that it affects relatively young people. It is one of the few types of cancer whose incidence and mortality rates are still rising among men in France, according to recent trends; among women, the incidence continues to rise but mortality is declining. This malignant tumor kills approximately 1,600 people each year. Given its severity, the best treatment is preventive and consists of limiting exposure to UV rays, which is its primary risk factor.

A study by the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon on quantifying the health impact of artificial UV exposure on the incidence of skin melanoma in France and on mortality estimates that 4.6% of skin melanoma cases—or 347 cases annually—are attributable to the use of tanning beds. Women account for approximately 76% of these cases. Various other scenarios suggest that between 91 and 350 cases of melanoma are caused by the use of tanning beds each year, resulting in between 19 and 76 deaths. Between 566 and 2,288 deaths can be expected over the next 30 years if French people’s exposure to UV tanning beds remains unchanged.

However, according to data from the 2010 Cancer Barometer, certain misconceptions about the supposed benefits of artificial UV radiation—whether aesthetic or health-related—remain firmly entrenched in popular belief, such as the safety of UVA rays and the idea that tanning beds prepare the skin for sun exposure.It is therefore important to provide accurate information on the dangers associated with such exposure and to counter opinions that trivialize and encourage the use of this practice.