OCT. 27, 2009 — Cosmetic dermatology should be held accountable for its role in creating epidemic-level vitamin D deficiency in North America today by preaching ill-advised over-the-top sun avoidance, members of the professional indoor tanning community said in a SmartTan.com poll conducted this month.

According to the poll, 89 percent believe cosmetic dermatologists should have to answer for their dark-ages advice, which is now accepted as the only logical reason that vitamin D deficiency has skyrocketed in the past 15 years according to government data. Only 5 percent of those surveyed thought cosmetic dermatology should not be held accountable for their advice. The poll is not scientific, but is highly directional.

Government data in show that 77 percent of Americans and 97 percent of Canadians are vitamin D deficient. The American figure increased from less than half of the population just 15 years ago.

“There’s no other factor other than sun avoidance and over-use of chemical sunscreen — which blocks 99 percent of vitamin D production — that could explain such an increase in vitamin D deficiency,” Smart Tan Vice President Joseph Levy said.