Teenage girls aren't the only ones who tan indoors -- older adults do ...(cohort extending throughout adulthood an...),Health

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., accounting for half of all human malignancies. The incidence of skin cancer has been increasing annually for the past four decades, and the incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing faster than any other cancer. Skin cancer can be costly and devastating for both health and appearance.

While the skin cancer susceptibility of older adults is rooted in the sun exposure of their earlier years, indoor tanning contributes to an individuals cumulative exposure and increases their skin cancer risk, added Stuart Lessin, M.D., director of dermatology and the Melanoma Family Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase.

Other findings from the survey included:

• The most important factors associated with higher indoor tanning rates among those under 50 years of age were being female, Caucasian, and having a higher education level.

• Adults under 50 who tanned indoors were also more likely to report a moderate to high tanning ability, more past year sunburns, and not staying in the shade when outside.

• Factors found to be independently associated with indoor tanning among those 50 and older were having a greater number of sunburns in the past year and not wearing long pants when outside.

We hope our findings will help inform the public and health professionals who may think indoor tanning isnt a concern for adults, concluded Heckman. We would also like to see more research conducted in this important area.

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