Saturday, July 17, 2004
Although dangerous, UV rays cause endorphin release, dermatologists say .
TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL
The list of vices just got a little longer as tanning joins smoking, drinking and other sorts of behavior that bring pleasure as well as pain.
Researchers say people love tanning, despite the increased risk of burning and developing skin cancer, because those browning ultraviolet rays are addictive.
"Our data suggest that an important reason people tan is that it feels good," said Anthony Liguori, an associate professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.
He said tanners are well aware of the risks, but the "drug-like effect" may keep them coming back for more -- whether from sunlight or from tanning beds.
UV rays appear to trigger the release of endorphins, which are morphine-like substances in the brain that block pain, heighten pleasure and have been associated with some addictions, Liguori said.
Study details
The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, was conducted on a small group of frequent clients of tanning salons.
During a six-week period, they were offered thrice-weekly tanning sessions. Unbeknownst to them, some of the tanning beds emitted ultraviolet light and some did not.
The participants consistently reported being in a better mood after having spent time in the UV bed, and when given a choice they invariably chose the bed emitting ultraviolet light (even though there was no otherwise discernible difference between the two). Liguori said the tanners' emotions were independent of the pleasure derived from feeling more attractive with brown skin.
He said they were discernibly happier. But most of the participants also said they could not go more than a few days without another tanning session, or they would feel down.
Darrel Riggell, a professor of dermatology at the New York University Medical Center, said that is a tell-tale sign that there is a chemical reaction within the body.
"It's fair to think of tanning as an addiction," he said.