Why do people keep tanning even when they know it can be bad for their health? 

The root of tanning’s enduring popularity can be traced back to the days when people could not afford to go abroad on holiday. 

A friend or colleague turning up with a tan was a pretty bold statement that they had been on a glamorous summer holiday overseas while you were stuck at home. 

But whatever the association, dermatology nurse Selene Daly said most Irish people are not built for tanning. 

“Most people in Ireland still have a skin type 1 where they cannot tan,” she explained on The Pat Kenny Show. 

“They don’t have enough melanin in our skin to tan. 

“So, for us to be healthy, technically… is to be our skin type. 

“If you’re a skin type 1 to 2, you’re going to be pale.” 

A young woman on sunbed. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

‘Tanorexia’ is not a medical term but it is a word that Ms Daly comes across in her work. 

“It’s a term used to describe this compulsive need to tan - even when you know that it’s unhealthy for you or could put you at risk of developing skin cancer,” she said. 

“It will photoage you as well. 

“A good example of this is when you have a patient who might have developed skin cancer and they come back for a check and they’re tanned. 

“Even though they know the tan probably could have caused the skin cancer, they still will tan.

“Why when they know it causes you to become potentially very unwell? It’s this cultural and social influence.” 

Skin cancer

Every year, about 1,100 people are diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, according to the HSE. 

For anyone who wants to reduce their chance of being one of those unlucky people, Ms Daly suggested they give up tanning and use fake tan instead. 

However, she added that some people will struggle to give up because tanning gives triggers dopamine in their brain - sometimes known as the ‘feel-good’ hormone. 

“There’s been a lot of talk about dopamine lately,” she said. 

“There’s a very good author, a neurobiologist called Dr Anna Lenkey, and she has written a book called Dopamine Nation. 

“She talks about how important dopamine is in our body as a chemical messenger. 

“When we’re seeking this dopamine hit from overtanning, that we are putting ourselves in danger.” 

Fianna Fáil is currently considering whether to make a ban on sun beds party policy.

Main image: A man lying on a sunbed. Picture by: Alamy.com.