Tanning "Buzz" Could Lead to Addiction

[Nerthus]

Tanning "Buzz" Could Lead to Addiction

John Roach
for National Geographic News
August 19, 2005

Just like the physical rush experienced by endurance athletes, sunbathers often feel a "buzz" after a long day at the beach. But scientists say this natural high can be fatally addictive.

"We treat a lot of patients who have tans and get skin cancer. We tell them to cut back [on their tanning], but they just can't seem to stop," said Richard Wagner, a dermatologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Wagner and his colleagues wanted to know why some people continue to sunbathe despite the well-known harmful effects of ultraviolet rays. Are these people addicted to suntans like other people are to alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs?

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