Tanning Beds May Be Even Riskier Than Thought

THURSDAY, Oct. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Indoor tanning beds may be even more likely to cause skin cancer than previously believed.

New research published online Oct. 6 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatologysuggests that the main type of ultraviolet rays used in tanning beds -- UVA1 -- may penetrate to a deep layer of skin that is most vulnerable to the cancer-causing changes caused by UV rays.

The new study comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers banning the use of tanning beds among children under 18. The American Academy of Pediatrics is on record that it supports such a ban.

In the study, 12 volunteers were exposed to UVA1 and UVB rays on their buttocks. (One difference in the waves is length: UVB waves are shorter.)