For example, previous research has shown that when people are exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun or a tanning booth, their bodies produce endorphins. These "feel good" chemicals ease pain and enhance a person's mood.
According to Wagner, the endorphin buzz may be what sunbathers are really chasing. "People think they are going to the beach for the tan, which they are getting. But the real reason is the endorphin production, which makes them feel so good," he said.
Kauvar said the endorphin link lacks concrete evidence, but that clearly "people derive pleasure out of tanning." She added that many sunbathers consider tanning a good way to relieve stress.
Tanners Anonymous?
Alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs can be hard habits to kick, and so can a suntan addiction, said Wagner, the University of Texas researcher. Support groups modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous may be necessary to keep some people out of the sun and tanning salons.
"A lot of tanning has to be planned behavior," he said. "So if you start to have the urge to tan, if it's the first thing you think about in the morning, you might call a friend in the support group and say, Hey, let's do something else."
Another way to curb tanning addiction might be to require tanning salons to set age restrictions, like the federal law prohibiting sale of cigarettes and alcohol to minors.
"That would be one step in the right direction to send the message to the public," Kauvar said.
Wagner said that right now public awareness campaigns about the dangers of tanning are insufficient. "People are very informed about ultraviolet light being carcinogenic," he said. "But they still tan."
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