from JAMA Dermatology
As we head into the season of less sunlight, an article in the journal JAMA Dermatology raises concerns about tanning beds on or near college campuses. The researchers relied on the list of top one hundred twenty-five colleges compiled by U.S. News and World Report. They found nearly one-half of the schools have indoor tanning facilities either on campus or in off-campus housing. Doctor Sherry Pagoto of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and her colleagues wrote that additional public health efforts are needed to raise awareness among colleges and students that indoor tanning increases the risk for skin cancer both in the short-term and later in life. She says tanning-free policies on campuses may help reduce the skin cancer risk in young adults.