Indoor tanning far more popular among gay and bisexual men than among heterosexual men
A new research has suggested that indoor tanning is quite more popular among gay and bisexual men as compared to heterosexual men. This is a fact that could explain why they also have higher skin cancer rates.
Study co-author Dr. Matthew Mansh, an intern in the department of internal medicine at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, said that as a whole, the rate of indoor tanning in these men is between three to six times higher than it is among heterosexual men.
Mansh added, "Gay and bisexual men also have about twice the rate of skin cancer compared with heterosexual men, both in terms of melanoma and non-melanoma".
The research findings are based on a review of state and federal government data that involved around 78,500 adult straight men and over 3,000 gay and bisexual men. It also included nearly 108,000 straight women, alongside over 3,000 lesbians. The findings were reported online by Mansh and his colleagues on October 7 in the journal JAMA Dermatology
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that indoor tanning is not at all safe than unprotected outdoor sun exposure. Both of them can lead to premature aging of the skin, spotting and wrinkling. The study authors noted that the main issue is that both increase the risk of developing skin cancer, which is presently striking over 5 million Americans every year.
The indoor tanning is still stubbornly popular as the CDC statistics have shown that nearly 400,000 Americans continue to develop skin cancer per year due to indoor tanning.
"Overall, the rate of indoor tanning among these men is between three to six times greater than it is among heterosexual men," said study co-author Dr. Matthew Mansh, an intern in the department of internal medicine at California PacificMedical Center in San Francisco.
"There currently aren't any known public health interventions targeting tanning or skin cancer among these sexual minorities," noted Blashill, who is an assistant professor in the department of psychology at San Diego State University.
