A new study from the University of Edinburgh, recently published in the journal Health & Place, has garnered significant attention for its findings on the health outcomes of tanning salon users in Great Britain. This study, the largest prospective analysis of its kind, examined the relationship between solarium use and various mortality risks.

Key findings from the study include:

• A 15% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality among solarium users.
• A 23% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.
• A 14% reduction in the risk of cancer mortality.
• A 12% reduction in the risk of non-CVD/non-cancer mortality.

Notably, the study also found no significant association between solarium use and melanoma mortality. While there was a slight association between solarium use and melanoma incidence, this did not reach statistical significance.

The research was led by a team from the University of Edinburgh, including Dr. Richard Weller, a dermatologist known for his work on the benefits of sun exposure. Dr. Weller has previously argued that the benefits of sunlight, when managed to avoid sunburn, significantly outweigh the potential risks. He emphasizes that non-burning exposure, whether from natural sunlight or sunlamps, is not the issue—sunburn is.

This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about the health impacts of tanning salon use, suggesting potential benefits that may challenge prevailing assumptions. The full study and the University of Edinburgh’s press release provide further details on the methodology and findings.

“For more than 30 years, Smart Tan has taken the position that the professional tanning community’s place is to teach sunburn prevention to those who wish to incorporate moderate UV exposure into their lives,” Smart Tan founder Matt Russell said. “In all that time our position has never changed. It’s great to see that science – particularly in the past 10 years – is catching up to that reasonable, balanced message.”