Eager to soak up the sun, or at least look like they have, some folks are getting their bronze on early—-indoors. But indoor tanning beds can increase the risk of melanoma up to four times, according to a new study released by the American Association for Cancer Research. The bottom line: Melanoma risk goes up with frequent indoor tanning, regardless of how old people are when they start using tanning beds.

According to the report, the pursuit of a bronzed body has become so popular that the indoor tanning industry estimates that some 30 million Americans visit tanning salons each year. That figure is nearly double that of the early 1980s. Last year the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning devices as carcinogenic.

Also released recently, an American Academy of Dermatology survey of more than 7,000 people found that many respondents could not accurately tell true statements from false when it came to the risks of UV exposure and proper sun protection. For example, only 48 percent knew that the following statement was false: Getting a “base” tan from a tanning bed or booth was a “healthy” way to protect against sun damage. The Food and Drug Administration also recently warned  against exposure to UV radiation from tanning beds.

As a result of passage of the new health-care bill, tanning salons must charge customers a 10 percent tax starting July 1. But that’s probably not enough to deter many tanning buffs and, as we’ve said before,  it doesn’t help that reality TV is in the game of promoting tanning beds with shows like Sunset Tan and Tanners Point that follow the employees of tanning salons.

In addition to the tanning tax, the FDA is taking other actions. The agency has recommended that kids under 18 be barred from tanning beds unless they have a consent form signed by a parent. And it looks like the public may agree. In a recent poll by the Consumerist, 75 percent of more than 2,000 responders said the use of tanning beds by minors should require parental consent.
 
In 2005, Consumer Reports surveyed close to 300 tanning salons across the country and found consumers were not adequately informed about the risks associated with tanning beds. Over 30 percent of interviewed salon staff denied that tanning beds could prematurely age skin or cause skin cancer. Let's hope they now know better.

– Maggie Shader