Schaumburg, IL – Many tanning salon employees are not warning teens and young women about the dangers of indoor tanning, according to survey results released May 3 by the American Academy of Dermatology.
The survey – which included more than 3,800 white, non-Hispanic females – found that 43 percent of indoor tanners said salon employees had never warned them about the dangers of tanning. People between the ages of 14 and 17 were less likely than those 18-22 years old to be aware of warning labels on tanning beds. Younger tanners also were twice as likely to believe tanning beds were safer than the sun, and 3 times as likely to believe tanning beds do not cause cancer.
AAD supports the Tanning Bed Cancer Control Act (H.R. 1676), which would allow the Food and Drug Administration to examine the classification of indoor tanning beds and make labeling requirements more strict.
May is Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. An AAD webpage features information about how to perform a skin self-exam or find free skin cancer screenings in your area.
