Study Highlights Unique Characteristics of Melanoma Patients Who Use Tanning Beds

Younger individuals and females are more likely to use tanning beds, and as a result they tend to develop melanoma earlier, according to new research published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology .

In a survey of 434 melanoma patients conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, patients who developed more than one melanoma were more likely to report indoor tanning bed use, and patients with multiple melanomas who used indoor tanning beds developed their second melanoma more quickly than others. Specifically, the median time to diagnosis of second primary melanoma in patients who used tanning beds was 225 days, compared to 3.5 years among participants who didn’t use tanning beds, the study showed.

“Our findings provide evidence for heightened surveillance in melanoma patients exposed to artificial ultraviolet radiation,” the study authors conclude.