What did the Northwestern Medicine study find about tanning beds?

The study found tanning beds triple the risk of melanoma and damage DNA across almost the entire skin surface.

How much does tanning bed use increase melanoma risk?

Tanning bed use is associated with a 2.85-fold increase in the risk for melanoma, according to the study.

Home / Health / Tanning Beds Triple Melanoma Risk, DNA Damage Found

Tanning Beds Triple Melanoma Risk, DNA Damage Found

Q: What policy changes are suggested regarding indoor tanning?

Researchers suggest making indoor tanning illegal for minors and requiring warning labels similar to those on cigarettes.

14 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Tanning beds triple melanoma risk and damage DNA across skin.
Study found twice as many mutations in tanning bed users' skin cells.
Melanoma risk increased 2.85-fold with indoor tanning use.

Tanning Beds Triple Melanoma Risk, DNA Damage Found

New research involving Northwestern Medicine indicates that tanning beds significantly increase the risk of melanoma, tripling it and causing DNA damage across nearly the entire skin surface. The study compared thousands of indoor tanners with a control group, revealing that skin cells from tanning bed users exhibited nearly twice the number of mutations and a higher prevalence of those linked to melanoma.

The findings suggest a more pervasive DNA damage from indoor tanning compared to sun exposure, with affected areas extending beyond typical sun-exposed zones. Melanoma diagnoses were more than double in tanning bed users, and even after accounting for other risk factors, the association with increased melanoma risk remained substantial.

Lead researcher Dr. Pedram Gerami emphasized that tanning beds damage DNA across the entire skin surface, unlike sun exposure which affects about 20% of skin. He advocates for policy changes, such as making indoor tanning illegal for minors and requiring warning labels similar to those on cigarette packs, to protect vulnerable individuals from harmful tanning practices.