Tanorexia: Can You Really Be Addicted To Tanning?

by Ruthie Friedlander | 9:39 am, April 20th, 2010

When Paris Hilton began gracing tabloid covers in the early aughts, a new term was coined: tanorexic. Tanorexics are those who are obsessed with, well, being tanned. To acquire the perfect shade of deep bronze — and keep it year ’round — tanorexics will go tanning at the beach, in the bed, and to finish it off, end the day with some airbrushing. Orange has quickly become the new shade du jour.

The tanning industry, worth about $5 billion, should be thanking their lucky stars that celebrities like Paris and Lindsay Lohan — who actually created her own brand of self tanner (tried and tested: smells awesome, streaks abundant) — exist These ladies put tanorexia on the map and inspired a plethora of onlookers.

Desperate to avoid streaks and stains on white dresses, many turn to the tanning bed, despite the inherent health dangers. The past year has seen a surge in the visibility of tanning beds’ health risks, but while the industry may have suffered, it appears some tanners simply cannot stop. Health warnings, price increases — nothing can keep these tanners away. Why? Because apparently, tanning is an addiction.

The Daily Mail reports that a recent UK study claims that tanning addictions can be likened to addictions to drugs or alcohol. Research shows that those who can’t escape the bed may need to seek help from psychologists to deal with the addiction.

Daily Mail reports:

For the latest study, 421 college students filled in a questionnaire normally used for drink and drug addicts which had been adapted to check for addiction to sunbeds. Among 229 students who used them, the average number of visits in the past year was 23 – once every two or three weeks. Two out of five students met the criteria for tanning addiction on at least one measure.

Students rated as tanning addicts were also likely to score highly on use of alcohol, cannabis and other substances, as well as have more anxiety symptoms.

Similarly, Time magazine reports that the surveys given to the students were versions of surveys typically given out to screen for substance abuse disorders.

[The students were asked] questions such as: When you wake up in the morning, do you want to use a tanning bed or booth? Have you ever missed any scheduled activity (social, occupational or recreational activities) because you decided to use tanning beds or booths? Do you ever feel guilty that you are using tanning beds or booths too much? In addition, the volunteers filled out questionnaires to assess their levels of anxiety and depression.

Addicts find the beds not only make them look more attractive, but also serve as a source of relaxation; a mood stabilizer of sorts. Some cite certain chemicals in the brain that are released when sunlight — even if it’s manufactured — radiates on one’s skin. So while the surveyed heavy tanners admitted they knew the risks of tanning, a whopping 98% said they simply didn’t care enough to stop.

I can say — as someone who previously gone fake and baking on the regular — there is something about that bed that makes you feel relaxed, something that lets you zone out and drift off. It’s like being at a spa — a really warm spa that makes you look pretty. And as I’ve said before, I’m definitely getting a bit antsy to hop right back into it. But I won’t. I’ve read the research, and it’s undeniable: tanning gives you cancer. But is it an addition? I’m not sure, and the truth is, it doesn’t really matter.

Here is what matters: According to the National Cancer Institute, women who lay in tanning beds more than once a month are 55% more likely to get malignant melanoma, the most fatal type of skin cancer. That fact is enough to jump start any addict to recover.

So please, addict or not, don’t go back to your tanning salon. Embrace your skin tone and if you can’t, run to Sephora and pick up some Clarins Liquid Bronze. It won’t streak, I promise.

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