Dec. 28--Research published in this month's issue of Archives of Dermatology shows that 18.1 percent of women and 6.3 percent of men use indoor tanning, despite the skin cancer risk.
The women were more likely to live in the Midwest or South and also use spray tanning products. The association between spray tanning product use and indoor tanning was also strong among men, suggesting that instead of substitution, women and men were using both to obtain the look of bronzed skin, the report found.
Few of the tanners mentioned avoiding tanning beds when asked about ways to reduce cancer risk, according to the study.
Data released earlier this year found that the use of indoor tanning beds poses a higher risk of melanoma than previously believed, and the younger someone starts using them, the higher the risk.
The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 million new cases of melanoma and non-melanonma skin cancer were diagnosed in 2009, and 8,650 deaths were attributed to melanoma.
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