Go To The Source: Tanning 'Addiction' (Why Do We Enjoy Tanning So Much?)

A whole lot of lip service has been given to the concept of “tanning addiction.” The most recent take on this comes via research from the University of Washington, which indicates that feel-good hormones (endorphins) are produced when folks tan indoors, and that is why so many enjoy the tanning process. But, the researchers also concluded that this meant that tanning is similar to alcohol and drug addiction.

Runners, as well as indoor tanners, can produce endorphins. However, when was the last time that running was linked to drug or alcohol addiction? As most tanners know, indoor tanning offers stress relief and relaxation in addition to a tan—and the soothing warmth of the bed is also a plus, especially during cold winter months. Now, there may be another reason for the seemingly universal desire to be in the sun: a protein—known as the master watchman of the genome—that is partially responsible for prompting the skin to tan in response to ultraviolet light.

A Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study, which was published in the journal Cell, suggests that the protein (p53) may help deter the development of melanoma skin cancer (the fastest-increasing form of cancer in the world) by promoting tanning.

“The No. 1 risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease,” says David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, the study’s senior author and director of the Melanoma Program at Dana-Farber. “Now, there even is the possibility that p53 protects against skin damage in a second—and previously unsuspected—way.”

Fisher and his colleagues found that UV radiation from the sun causes skin cells (keratinocytes) to make and secrete a hormone called α-MSH, which attaches to nearby skin cells (melanocytes) and causes them to produce melanin. Researchers knew that a-MSH is created when another protein, known as pro-opiomelanocortin (or POMC), is split apart. They also knew that the amount of POMC within cells rises sharply when they’re exposed to UV rays and that the same process that causes POMC to produce α-MSH leads to the production of α-endorphin, a protein that binds to the body’s opiate receptors and may be associated with feelings of pleasure.

“Even as p53 is causing skin to tan during sunlight exposure, it may also affect neuronal circuits,” Fisher says. “These proteins may provide an explicit link between the regulation of tanning and of mood.”

OK, now let’s cut through the acronyms, abbreviations and numbers. This gene actually may be another reason why humans enjoy tanning. Most of the media focuses on sensationalizing our industry and typically reports only the negative aspects, so be sure to remember that there is much more to the story—especially when you read the myriad of headlines on so-called tanning addiction. Millions of people weigh the risks and benefits of tanning and choose the moderate, controlled and responsible method of tanning indoors. Rejoice in the alternative!

Joe Schuster is vice president of sales and marketing for LightSources, Inc. If you have a question that you would like answered in this column, e-mail him at joe_lsi@bellsouth.net. For more information on LightSources, visit www.lsitanning.com.