Sunbeds are as addictive as drugs and alcohol, research suggests.
Scientists claim that those obsessed with having a year-round tan may be unable to stop themselves, just like addicts desperate for a fix.
They suggest habitual users or “tanorexics” who ignore the health risks may even need medical help to stop.
Malignant melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer - is the fastest growing cancer among young women in the UK and rates have quadrupled in the last 30 years.
Sunbeds are blamed for 370 cases, and 100 deaths, per year.
But researchers in Dallas, Texas, claim sunbed use is not just for cosmetic reasons, but because the dangerous UV rays activate “reward” switches in the brain.
They asked regular sunbed users to have two ten-minute sessions each.
One session involved exposure to ultraviolet radiation but in the second, the rays were blocked by special filters.
When the scientists examined their brain activity, they found the real tanners had increased blood flow to certain areas associated with a “reward”, in a similar way to alcoholics having a drink.
After the sessions, only those who had been exposed to UV rays showed a sharp decrease in their desire to tan - showing they had had their fix. - Daily Mail