Jessica Jaramillo

Professor Padgett
English 102-125
March 1, 2016
Annotated Bibliography
Inquiry: How are tanning beds bad for you?
Proposed thesis: The use of tanning beds can lead to melanoma and other skin diseases and
cancer.
Friedman, Blake, Joseph C. English, and Laura K. Ferris. "Indoor Tanning, Skin Cancer And
The Young Female Patient: A Review Of The Literature." Journal Of Pediatric &
Adolescent Gynecology 28.4 (2015): 275-283. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Mar.
2016.
With an immense amount of statistical data, Friedman presents a very credible argument
against the usage of tanning beds. This article states that as the opening of tanning beds
increases, so has the cases of melanoma for young adults, preferably young females. The
article states that, melanoma incidence is higher in females, with a female:male
incidence ratio of 1.70:1 among young adults aged 15-29 years. This overwhelming
statistic also correlates with the growth of indoor tanning salons as there are more
tanning salons than Starbucks or McDonald's in 166 large cities in the US. According to
the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there is a positive correlation
between the two, melanoma and the use of tanning beds before age 35. As far as
relevance goes, this article is only a year old and analyzes the growth over the past couple
decades. There is really no bias in this article as it touches This source overall
encompasses the majority of the research need to make a claim to the inquiry.
Caswell, Michael. "The Effect Of Tanning Bed Exposures On Skin Conductance."
Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine 18.4 (2002): 212. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.

Caswell writes about a scientific experiment where rats and mice were tested under UV
tanning beds for three days of the week for eight weeks along with a control group that
experienced no radiation. The outcome of the experiment concluded, No statistically
significant differences (ANOVA) exist between the UV-irradiated site and the control site
at any visit. As far as credibility, the source was originated from an academically
accredited database, therefore it stands as very reliable. As far as timing, the article was
published in 2001 and the UV lamps that they were using could have been a lot weaker
than the bulbs that tanning salons use today. The source goes against the original claim
that tanning beds have an impact on the skins of animals/humans and would actually be
great evidence is supporting the use of tanning beds. If I used this source for my paper I
would use it as evidence for the pro-tanning bed side that I would of course need to
acknowledge.
Harrington, Cynthia R., et al. "Activation Of The Mesostriatal Reward Pathway With
Exposure To Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) Vs. Sham UVR In Frequent Tanners: A Pilot
Study." Addiction Biology 17.3 (2012): 680-686. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1
Mar. 2016.
Harrington concludes in his article that though the knowledge of tanning beds poor side
effects has increased over the past 20 years, so has the use of tanning beds. According to
Harrington, Between 50 and 90% of skin cancers are caused by UV radiation. In 2000,
the WHO estimates that there were 200,000 cases of melanoma and 65,000 melanomaassociated deaths worldwide, coupled with 2.8 million squamous cell and 10 million
basal cell carcinoma cases (WHO 2009). Overall the statistics presented in the article
presents a great deal of credibility and since the article was published in 2012 there is a
great deal of relevance as well. As far as bias goes, this article claims that the process of
indoor tanning may impart [hold] rewarding effects beyond the assumed cosmetic

benefits. Though I agreed immensely with this argument, I found it shocking that
tanning was in a sense a beneficial activity. With that being said, I may have a large
counter argument to my original inquiry and thesis.
Greene, Kathryn, and Laura S. Brinn. "Messages Influencing College Women's Tanning Bed
Use: Statistical Versus Narrative Evidence Format And A Self-Assessment To Increase
Perceived Susceptibility." Journal Of Health Communication 8.5 (2003): 443. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.
Greene touches on the topic of the message that the effects of tanning are told through
such as the narrative personal experience form and the impersonal statistical form. Both
can be effective but the more personal the story, people tend to sway more against
tanning. Greenes perspective on tanning is interesting as she has researched mainly the
behavioral effects and reasons for tanning and how to stop it. In my paper I could use
these tactics and approaches as a solution to the problems associated with tanning, or at
least a plan of action. Being published in 2003, the article presents some relevance,
however, not as much as some of the other articles presented.
Liberatore, Stephanie, and Meg Streker. "Health Wise." Science Teacher 77.5 (2010): 70-71.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.
An article from the Science Teacher, Liberatore presents an argument against the use of
tanning beds directed towards students. According to Liberatore, the International
Agency for Research on Cancer now places tanning beds in its highest risk category
Group 1 carcinogens (carcinogenic to humans)along with cigarettes and asbestos.
Facts like these are present throughout the article which increases the audiences notion
of credibility towards the source. The fact that this article was published in the summer of
2010 also provides a sense of relevance especially because this article is also directed
towards teenagers who are one of the top users of tanning beds. There is a great deal of

suitability here for this article as it encompasses the target market for tanning salons, why
young adults should not use them and so forth.
Burton, Adrian. "Tanning Trippers Get UV High." Environmental Health Perspectives 114.7
(2006): A403. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Mar. 2016.
According to Burton, the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology suggests that
frequent users of tanning beds may become addicted to these endorphins. Moreover,
blocking the effects of the endorphins could lead to withdrawal symptoms. This
addiction can explain why frequent tanning salon goers express such a sense of euphoria,
and why tanning can become so addicting. As far as credibility and relevance, in 2006
Wake Forest University discovered that patients that had been frequent indoor tanners
actually relied on the degree of endorphins that were being released when they tanned.
This sense of dependency displays an excellent point as to why tanning beds can cause
negative effects not just on the skin but mentally and chemically within the body.