Tanning beds are once again raising serious health concerns, and a new study has revealed just how harmful they can be.
Scientists from Northwestern Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco have found strong evidence that tanning beds can damage the DNA across the entire skin surface.
This damage is closely linked to melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances.
Melanoma kills about 11,000 people each year in the U.S. While it has long been known that tanning beds increase cancer risk, the exact biological reasons were not fully understood.
Some people, including supporters of the tanning industry, even claimed that tanning beds were no worse than natural sunlight. This new research proves otherwise. It shows that tanning beds cause deep and widespread DNA changes that go far beyond what the sun can do.
Dr. Pedram Gerami, the lead author of the study and a professor at Northwestern University, has been treating melanoma patients for 20 years. He noticed a pattern—many of his patients were women under 50 who had used tanning beds frequently. This observation led him to explore the real impact of tanning beds on skin cells.
In the first part of the study, researchers looked at medical records from about 3,000 people who had used tanning beds and compared them to 3,000 people who had never used them. They found that 5.1% of tanning bed users were diagnosed with melanoma, compared to only 2.1% of those who never used them.
After adjusting for other factors like age, gender, and sunburn history, the team concluded that tanning bed users were nearly three times more likely to develop melanoma. More alarmingly, the cancer often appeared in places like the lower back and buttocks—areas usually protected from the sun, which suggests that tanning beds affect a wider skin area than outdoor sunlight.
To better understand how this happens, the researchers used advanced DNA sequencing technology. They studied skin cells from three groups: tanning bed users, non-users, and donors from cadavers. They focused on melanocytes, the pigment cells where melanoma begins.
The results were striking—cells from tanning bed users had nearly twice the number of mutations as those from non-users. These mutations, often found in skin cancers, were spread all over the body, not just in sun-exposed areas.
Dr. Gerami explained that with sunlight, only about 20% of the skin gets the most exposure. But with tanning beds, the harmful effects were seen across almost the entire skin surface.
One patient, Heidi Tarr, who started using tanning beds in high school, shared her personal story. She was later diagnosed with melanoma and has had many skin biopsies since. Despite the pain and fear, she volunteered for the study to help others understand the risks.
This new research makes a strong case for stricter regulations. Dr. Gerami believes that tanning beds should be banned for minors and should carry clear warning labels, much like cigarette packaging. He points out that the World Health Organization has labeled tanning beds as a class one carcinogen—the same category as smoking and asbestos.
He also advises anyone who used tanning beds regularly, especially in their youth, to visit a dermatologist for a full-body skin check. Early detection is key in treating skin cancer.
To sum up, this study provides the clearest proof yet that tanning beds are highly dangerous. They don’t just increase cancer risk—they damage DNA across the whole body. These findings are a wake-up call, especially as tanning beds are becoming popular again. Protecting your skin from artificial tanning could save your life.
If you care about skin health, please read studies about top signs of diabetic skin disease, and Mediterranean diet could help lower the skin cancer risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about eating fish linked to higher risk of skin cancer, and results showing how to combat the effects of aging on your skin.
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