In a new study, researchers found that more women were diagnosed with skin cancer.
They found continued use of indoor tanning devices may be the major cause of the increase in skin cancer in women.
The research data was from the Mayo Clinic.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S.1, affecting one in five Americans in their lifetime.
Limiting exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the number one way people can reduce their risk of skin cancer.
In the study, the team found between 1970 and 2009, rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have increased 800% among women ages 18-39.
This makes it the second most common cancer in young women.
During a similar timeframe, other skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma rates also sharply increased by 145% and 263%, respectively.
The team says UV exposure is on the rise in women. Because there’s a delay between UV exposure and when skin cancer appears, most women don’t think it will happen to them.
They estimate that it may cause more than 400,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year.
Women are far more likely to use indoor tanning devices than men (7.8 versus 1.9 million), and of the women who began tanning before the age of 16, more than half (54%) did so with their mother.
But even one indoor tanning session can increase a user’s lifetime risk of developing melanoma by 20%, squamous cell carcinoma by 67% and basal cell carcinoma by 29%.
Moreover, indoor tanning before age 35 can increase one’s risk of melanoma by 59%.
The current finding shows the disproportionate rise in the number of skin cancers in women and the need for further education regarding UV exposure.
The study was presented at the 2019 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting by board-certified dermatologist M. Laurin Council, MD, FAAD, FACMS, who was not part of the research team.
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