ArcaMax

You're stuck under cold, gray skies, dreaming of lying on a beach somewhere feeling the sun's warming rays. But in lieu of that, you figure why not get an indoor tan from a salon? Well, here's why not.

According to a study in Science Advances, tanning bed users develop twice as many genetic mutations (alternations in their DNA) as folks who don't use tanning beds and those mutations are in places that are not normally exposed to the sun but get zapped in a tanning bed. Add to that the fact that tanning-bed users are at a 300% greater risk of developing the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma, often at a younger age than usual. No wonder the World Health Organization classifies tanning beds as a "Group 1 human carcinogen," similar to asbestos or cigarette smoke.

The Cleveland Clinic says that a good alternative is a sunless tanning lotion or cream that contains Food and Drug Administration-approved DHA (dihydroxyacetone; it's not DHA-docosahexaenoic acid -- found in omega-3s). The DHA reacts with dead cells on the skin's surface and darkens them temporarily. But if applied as a spray or aerosol, beware. Don't inhale or get into your eyes! So, better as a cream ... or just take steps to have the most healthy, beautiful skin possible.

For info on how to have great skin (and avoid skin cancers), check out my books, "YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty" and "The RealAge Makeover: Take Years Off Your Looks and Add Them to Your Life."

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.

(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.