Tanning Protects Against Melanoma?

“The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan; people who tan easily or have dark pigmentation are far less likely to develop the disease,” says the study’s senior author, David E. Fisher, MD, PhD.

There is a reason for the skin to become dark brown after it’s exposed to the sunshine. Tanning induced by ultraviolet rays plays a role in protecting against the development of skin cancer, namely melanoma, the fastest growing form of cancer in the world, according to a new study.

Early studies have linked exposure to sunshine rays to increased risk of skin cancer. But the new study suggests that when the skin is exposed to sun rays, a protein known as the “master watchman of the genome” is triggered to guard against cancer-causing DNA damage, which would otherwise lead to the development of skin cancer.

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