London - People constantly drawn to lounging in the sun or using sunbeds, even when they know the risks of skin cancer, may be suffering from tanning addiction.
Despite campaigns to inform sunbathers of the dangers of skin cancer, the incidence of malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, is rising fast in Britain with 6 000 new cases diagnosed each year.
Rates of skin cancer are rising rapidly among teenagers and young adults, with cases doubling in the past 20 years. Researchers from the University of Texas say they have found evidence that suggests sunbathing could be habit-forming.
Researchers adapted alcoholism and drug dependency criteria to interview beachgoers about their sunbathing habits.
They classed 53 percent as dependent on ultraviolet-light tanning.
Richard Wagner, senior author of the study, said: "This is a new idea - although there has been mixed evidence from other studies that tanning increases endorphin production which could be addictive." - The Independent