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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

A Standardized Procedure of Dressing Management for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Published on: March 14, 2025
Progression of toxic epidermal necrolysis after tanning bed exposure
Na Tosha Gatson1, Jared B Travers, Mohammed Al-Hassani
1Department of Dermatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 550 N University Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Background:
In addition to recreational tanning bed use, UV radiation exposures are sometimes sought to self-treat skin conditions. The ability of tanning bed radiation exposure to trigger toxic epidermal necrolysis has not been reported.
Observations:
A young woman attempted to treat a self-limiting drug hypersensitivity reaction via tanning bed radiation exposure, which resulted in a systemic toxic epidermal necrolysis-like reaction. Studies with cultured keratinocytes and an epithelial cell line reveal that UV-A radiation can synergize with other stimuli such as phorbol esters or interleukin 1 to produce large amounts of tumor necrosis factor, providing a potential mechanism for this exaggerated reaction.
Conclusion:
In addition to inducing photodamage and skin cancer, tanning bed radiation exposure can trigger a toxic epidermal necrolysis-like reaction, possibly via the exaggerated production of keratinocyte cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor.
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