Chicago, December 28, 2025 – A new study reveals that frequenting tanning beds nearly triples the risk of developing skin cancer, and researchers have now pinpointed how these sunbeds damage skin at a molecular level. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, are a stark warning as social media trends again promote indoor tanning.
Skin Cell Damage Unveiled
What are the risks of using tanning beds? The study demonstrates that individuals who use tanning beds are 2.9 times more likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, compared to those who don’t. This increased risk isn’t just about exposure; its about the specific damage inflicted on skin cells.
Heidi Tarr, a 49-year-old market researcher from Chicago, knows this firsthand. As a teenager, she and her friends regularly used tanning beds, chasing the “glow” popularized by celebrities. “It was just the thing to do-everyone wanted that nice, dark, tan skin,” she recalled in a video call. Later diagnosed with melanoma in her 30s,she’s undergone over a dozen biopsies to remove suspicious moles. Now, her 15-year-old daughter is seeing tanning trends on TikTok, prompting Tarr to donate another skin sample to science.
Researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois compared the medical records of 3,000 tanning bed users to a similarly aged group who had never used them. melanoma was diagnosed in 5% of the tanning bed users, compared to 2% of the non-users.The study also found that tanning bed users were more likely to develop melanoma on areas typically shielded from the sun, like the lower back and buttocks.
Key Takeaways:
- Tanning bed use increases melanoma risk by nearly three times.
- Sunbeds cause a notable increase in DNA mutations within skin cells.
- Melanoma can develop on areas of the body not typically exposed to the sun.
- The damage from tanning beds can be more severe than sun exposure alone.
To understand the underlying mechanisms, the team sequenced 182 skin biopsies, including one from Tarr.They focused on melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing moles – and pot
© 2025 AFP
