Indoor Tanning Addiction: Biological Mechanisms and Association with Other Disorders

Although many people who use tanning beds are aware of the negative consequences, they continue to indoor tan, possibly due to addictive properties. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on tanning addiction, its potential biological mechanisms, and its association with psychological disorders. A PubMed search was conducted using the terms "Tanning Addiction," "UVR AND B-endorphin," and "tanning dependence AND gene." The articles were organized based on the following categories: endorphins, dopamine and the brain, genetic associations, and associations between tanning addiction and other disorders. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation leads to the synthesis of β-endorphins in the skin, the release of dopamine in the brain, and increased blood flow in brain regions associated with reinforcement and addiction. Genes associated with tanning addiction include PTCHD2 and ANKK1. Several psychiatric disorders are comorbidities of tanning addiction and excessive indoor tanning parallels many of the patterns of substance use disorders. In frequent indoor tanners, greater awareness of tanning's addictive potential and further development of interventions aimed at treating this addictive behaviour may be needed to stop indoor tanning.