As the glory days of Indian Summer set in, many Marquette students are taking advantage of the warm weather by hitting the beach. However, up to one half of those beachgoers may have an addiction, according to a recent study.
The study, performed by scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch, adapted two sets of criteria traditionally used to detect addictions, such as substance abuse, to apply to tanning.
According to one set of criteria, 26 percent of the 145 beachgoers who participated in the study qualified as addicted; using the other set of criteria, 53 percent of participants were considered addicted.
This is the first widely published study on the topic, according to study author Richard Wagner. The study concluded that individuals who repeatedly expose themselves to the ultraviolet rays in sunshine might have a kind of addiction.
One Marquette professor said he isn't so sure. Addiction is a very broad definition and there are a number of things that must be considered when evaluating whether or not someone has an addiction, said John Mantsch, an addiction and neuroscience researcher in the College of Health Sciences. He went on to say that he would be surprised if tanning met all of the criteria, but will be interested to see further research done on the topic.
According to Mantsch and Wagner, the reason tanning may be so seductive for some is because of low self-esteem. Tanning can give individuals a boost of confidence by improving their body image, Mantsch said.
That confidence boost can come at a high price, according to William Bell, associate professor in the College of Health Sciences.
According to Bell, tanning damages skin cells, paving the path for cancer and other problems later in life. The damage is a result of the two kinds of UV rays that the sun emits, UVA and UVB rays.
Beach tanners aren't the only ones who need to worry, said Bell. Even tanning booths that claim to be free of UVB rays, which can burn and cause cancer. UVA rays, the most prevalent in tanning booths, sink deeper into the skin, destroying the deep tissues responsible for skin's elasticity. This irreversible damage to the tissues not only results in wrinkles later in life, but also makes skin more prone to cancer and to increased damage when people absorb the sun's UVB rays.
A further danger is that tanning beds are largely unregulated. Wisconsin does have a minimum age of 16 to tan in a booth. Marquette Tanning and Laundry goes one step further and prefers that their customers be over the age of 18, said Rebecca Koller, manager of the facility. Also, tanners must wait 24 hours between each session. Koller said that she regularly has customers try to schedule appointments within the 24-hour limit, but she said that she suspects it is more likely due to busy schedules than an addiction.
The delayed negative effects of tanning, both in the sun and in booths, may be one reason why people are willing to tan, despite the known health problems, Mantsch said.
If tanners knew it was going to have negative consequences on their lives tomorrow, they may be less likely to engage in the behavior, Mantsch said.
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 15, 2005.