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Nonsalon indoor tanning may be common among indoor tanning users

Young women who use indoor tanning commonly reported usage of nonsalon indoor tanning facilities, according to recently published study results.

Researchers surveyed a nationally representative sample of women aged 18 to 25 years (mean age, 22.7 years). Most of the women (56.3%) were non-Hispanic white, 14.3% were non-Hispanic black, 21.1% were Hispanic and 8.3% were non-Hispanic, other. Participants were paid $5 for completing the survey, which included measures of demographics, lifetime indoor tanning use, indoor tanning use in the past 12 months and indoor tanning location of either a tanning-only salon or location other than a tanning salon. Those who used nonsalon locations identified them as a gym or health club, beauty shop, private home, apartment or other locations.

Measures of tanning patterns, whether tanning was used to improve mood, tanning dependence and history of anxiety and depression were measured.

Nonsalon tanning was reported by 41% of respondents who had ever used indoor tanning and 24.6% of current indoor tanners. Gyms, beauty shops and private homes were the most commonly used locations reported by lifetime indoor tanning users. Current users of indoor tanning reported gyms, private homes and apartment complexes as commonly used tanning locations. Participants who had ever used a nonsalon tanning location reported more than two times the number of indoor tanning sessions compared with those who had not (P = .02).

A history of depression was almost three times higher in the nonsalon indoor tanning current users compared with participants who reported using tanning-only salons. (P = .047) The nonsalon users also reported more difficulty stopping indoor tanning compared with the users of tanning-only salons (P = .01).

“Physician counseling to reduce indoor tanning is a recommended preventative health service,” the researchers concluded. “Physicians should assess patients’ tanning locations since nonsalon tanning may indicate more risky behavior.” – By Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.