Pediatric Association Wants Teens Banned From Tanning Beds

The American Academy of Pediatrics wants teenagers banned from tanning salons to reduce their risk of skin cancer.

More than 30 states regulate indoor tanning by minors, with some banning children younger than 14 or requiring parental permission. Illinois and New York are among states considering bills barring anyone under 18 from indoor tanning.

A new technical report from the pediatrics academy says exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight and artificial sources early in life elevates the risk of developing skin cancer.Rift Gold The report also estimates that about 25 percent of total lifetime exposure to UV rays occurs before the age of 18.

"Currently no states [completely] ban tanning to those under 18, and that's what we're looking to do," Dr. Sophie Balk, study author, attending pediatrician at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore,RIFT Platinum and professor of clinical pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, told AOL Health.

According to the AAP, more than two million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. In addition to melanoma, ultraviolet radiation causes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the most common types of skin cancer.

"For some people [tanning] can be addictive," Balk explains. "It can make them feel better by releasing endorphins, which make people happy."

Researchers interviewed sunbathers ages 18 years and older in Galveston, Texas, to determine their dependence on the sun's rays.rift gold Subjects completed a tanning-specific survey modified from an alcoholism questionnaire to assess whether they were addicted to tanning.

Twenty-six volunteers, or 18 percent, screened positive for addiction, while 63 individuals, or 43 percent participants, screened positive with a weaker addiction. Study authors concluded those who chronically and repeatedly expose themselves to UV radiation for tanning purposes may have a type of UVR substance-related disorder.

Indoor ultraviolet rays are classified as UVA rays and can be 10-times stronger than those of the midday sun.RIFT Platinum But that doesn't mean outdoor UV rays supplied by Mother Nature are any less dangerous.

"They are different exposures, but both are still harmful," says Balk. "People who get sunburns are at an increased risk, too."

The newest policy statement released by the AAP includes the following UV exposure tips:

-- Do not burn
-- Avoid sun tanning and tanning beds
-- Wear protective clothing and hats
-- Seek shade
-- Use extra caution near water, snow and sand
-- Apply sunscreen

"The skin will create a tan because it's been harmed," TERA Goldsays Balk. "If you tan, it means there has been DNA damaged."

Sun exposure and blistering sunburns that occur during youth may be more damaging than later in life and generally increase the risk of melanoma compared with exposure later in life, Balk added.