Background Little is known about the prevalence of indoor tanning among the US general adult population. Objectives This study sought to: (1) describe the prevalence of indoor tanning throughout ...adulthood; (2) identify demographic and psychosocial correlates of indoor tanning; and (3) determine whether these correlates vary by age group. Methods This study used data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey, an annual health survey of the US adult population. Results Indoor tanning rates were higher among individuals who were young, white, and female. Rates of indoor tanning in the last year varied from 20.4% for those aged 18 to 29 years to 7.8% for those aged 65 years and older. A variety of demographic, health, and behavioral health risk factors correlated with indoor tanning. Limitations The study design was cross-sectional and all data were self-reported. Conclusions Health care providers should address indoor tanning as a health risk factor across the lifespan.
Background
Epidemics are a major cause of health problems in developing countries, preventing the accumulation of human capital and economic growth. On the appearance of the pandemic of the new ...coronavirus COVID‐19 worldwide, this survey was carried out in the 4th week of the occurrence of the cases in Greece.
Objectives
The investigation was aimed at the social and economic impact caused by this COVID‐19 pandemic and the state's decision to suspend the operation of businesses and stores in Greece.
Materials and methods
One hundred and fifty‐eight esthetic centers from various areas of Greece were participated in this study, and the questionnaires were sent electronically to the business owners. Statistical analyzes were conducted using Google Forms and the questionnaires analyzed through PSPP software.
Results
Based on their answers and the statistical analyzes, it was calculated the reduction of the monthly income for the first month of suspension of the operation of their companies. Additionally, social‐related matters were examined as, how they experience this period, psychologically, financially, what problems they believe that they will face, and what changes in their work that could result from the pandemic.
Discussion
There is no similar study and experience for esthetic centers from a viral pandemic in literature. The suspension of operations provoked serious financial problems and significant psychological burden about what “tomorrow will bring” with returning to “normalcy.”
Background
Tanning beds were classified as first‐group carcinogens in 2009. Nonetheless, research shows that people in industrialized Western countries use tanning beds. Based on the National Cancer ...Aid Monitoring (NCAM) including representative data on 28,000 individuals from Germany, we quantified the prevalence as a trend from 2015 to 2022, identified determinants of tanning bed use and analysed risk awareness and reasons for use.
Methods
We used NCAM data from 2015 to 2022 to analyse the trends in the prevalence of tanning bed use (n = 28,000). To determine the characteristics of tanning bed users, risk awareness and reasons, we combined data from the waves 2019 to 2022 (n = 16,000, 49.2% female, 16–65 years) in a pooled dataset to have sufficient power to detect even smaller associations.
Results
Tanning bed use decreased to 5.1% in 2022. The use of tanning beds in spas, fitness and beauty facilities increased, except during the COVID‐19 pandemic, while the use in tanning salons decreased. Typical tanning bed users were female, middle‐aged, occupied, higher educated, had an immigrant background and were former or current smokers. Risk awareness was the lowest among the current users. The most frequently mentioned reasons were relaxation, enhancement of attractiveness and pre‐tanning.
Discussion
Our nationwide representative data showed that the prevalence of indoor tanning has decreased. Of concern are the lower risk awareness among current users and the shift in place of use towards facilities associated with health and wellness. To further reduce the use of tanning beds, targeted information, educational campaigns and extended legislation are considered helpful.
Intersectionality is a critical theoretical framework that emphasizes the influence of intersecting systems of oppression on the lived experiences of people marginalized by inequity. Although ...applications of intersectionality are increasing in public health, this framework is absent in environmental health, which has instead focused on the exposome, a paradigm that considers the totality of an individual's environmental exposures across the life course.Despite advancements in the biological complexity of exposome models, they continue to fall short in addressing health inequities. Therefore, we highlight the need for integrating intersectionality into the exposome. We introduce key concepts and tools for environmental health scientists interested in operationalizing intersectionality in exposome studies and discuss examples of this innovative approach from our work on racial inequities in uterine fibroids.Our case studies illustrate how interlocking systems of racism and sexism may affect Black women's exposure to environmental chemicals, their epigenetic regulation of uterine fibroids, and their clinical care. Because health relies on biological and social-structural determinants and varies across different intersectional positions, our proposed framework may be a promising approach for understanding environmental health inequities and furthering social justice.
Purpose
Due to concerns around occupational chemical exposures, this study sought to examine whether women working as cosmetologists (providing hair and nail care services) and manicurists (providing ...only nail care services) have an elevated risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Methods
In this population-based retrospective study of cosmetologists and manicurists in California, we linked cosmetology licensee and birth registry files to identify births during 1996–2009. We compared outcomes among cosmetologists and manicurists to those of the general female population and to women from other industries. We also conducted restricted analyses for Vietnamese women, who comprise a significant proportion of the workforce.
Results
There was little evidence of increased risk for adverse birth outcomes, but we observed an association for small for gestational age (SGA) among Vietnamese manicurists (OR 1.39; 95 % CI 1.08–1.78) and cosmetologists (OR 1.40; 95 % CI 1.08–1.83) when compared to other working women. Some maternal complications were observed, notably an increased risk for gestational diabetes (OR 1.28; 95 % CI 1.10–1.50 for manicurists; OR 1.19; 95 % CI 1.07–1.33 for cosmetologists) compared with the general population, which further elevated when restricted to Vietnamese workers (OR 1.59; 95 % CI 1.20–2.11 for manicurists; OR 1.49; 95 % CI 1.04–2.11 for cosmetologists). Additionally, we observed an association for placentia previa among manicurists (OR 1.46; 95 % CI 1.08–1.97) and cosmetologists (OR 1.22; 95 % CI 1.02–1.46) compared with the general population.
Conclusions
Women in the nail and hair care industry may be potentially at increased risk for some maternal complications, although further research is warranted. Vietnamese workers may also have increased risk for SGA.
Beauty in a box Thompson, Cheryl
Beauty in a box,
2019, 2019, 2018, 2019-04-17
eBook
One of the first transnational, feminist studies of Canada's black beauty culture and the role that media, retail, and consumers have played in its development, Beauty in a Box widens our ...understanding of the politics of black hair. The book analyzes advertisements and articles from media--newspapers, advertisements, television, and other sources--that focus on black communities in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. The author explains the role local black community media has played in the promotion of African American-owned beauty products; how the segmentation of beauty culture (i.e., the sale of black beauty products on store shelves labelled "ethnic hair care") occurred in Canada; and how black beauty culture, which was generally seen as a small niche market before the 1970s, entered Canada's mainstream by way of department stores, drugstores, and big-box retailers. Beauty in a Box uses an interdisciplinary framework, engaging with African American history, critical race and cultural theory, consumer culture theory, media studies, diasporic art history, black feminism, visual culture, film studies, and political economy to explore the history of black beauty culture in both Canada and the United States.
We sought to evaluate the risk effect of tanning bed use on skin cancers among teenage and young adults. We also expected to determine whether a dose-response relationship was evident.
We observed ...73,494 female nurses for 20 years (from 1989 to 2009) in a large and well-characterized cohort in the United States and investigated whether frequency of tanning bed use during high school/college and at ages 25 to 35 years were associated with a risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma. We used Cox proportional hazards models and carefully adjusted for host risk factors, ultraviolet index of residence, and sun exposure behaviors at a young age.
During follow-up, 5,506 nurses were diagnosed with BCC, 403 with SCC, and 349 with melanoma. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of skin cancer for an incremental increase in use of tanning beds of four times per year during both periods was 1.15 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.19; P < .001) for BCC, 1.15 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.31; P = .03) for SCC, and 1.11 (95% CI, 0.97 to 1.27; P = .13) for melanoma. Compared with tanning bed use at ages 25 to 35 years, we found a significantly higher risk of BCC for use during high school/college (multivariable-adjusted HR for use more than six times per year compared with no use was 1.73 during high school/college v 1.28 at ages 25 to 35 years; P for heterogeneity < .001).
Our data provide evidence for a dose-response relationship between tanning bed use and the risk of skin cancers, especially BCC, and the association is stronger for patients with a younger age at exposure.
Hair loss (alopecia) is a common problem and is often a major source of distress for patients. The differential diagnosis of alopecia includes both scarring and nonscarring alopecias. In addition, ...many hair shaft disorders can produce hair shaft fragility, resulting in different patterns of alopecia. Therefore, an organized and systematic approach is needed to accurately address patients' complaints to achieve the correct diagnosis. Part 1 of this 2-part continuing medical education article on alopecia describes history taking and the clinical examination of different hair loss disorders. It also provides an algorithmic diagnostic approach based on the most recent knowledge about different types of alopecia.
Summary
Use of indoor tanning devices increases the risk of cutaneous melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Indoor tanning devices have become important sources of ultraviolet (UV) exposure, both UVB ...and UVA. This systematic review assessed UV measurements performed in indoor tanning devices related to irradiance level, wavelength distribution and similarities to natural sun. The study was performed in accordance with the MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from inception to May 2015, and also examined the reference lists of the retrieved studies. Eighteen studies were included. Twelve studies examined the erythema‐weighted UV irradiances of indoor tanning devices, 11 studies examined UVB and 13 studies studied UVA. Compliance with irradiance limits was reported in nine studies. Erythema‐weighted irradiances were highest in the most recent studies. Most studies had mean values higher than from natural sun and with large variations between devices. All studies except two had mean unweighted UVB irradiances lower than from natural summer sun (at latitudes from 37°S to 35°N), while mean unweighted UVA irradiances were, with one exception, substantially higher than from natural sun. The high values of UVA exposure from modern tanning devices are alarming in light of the increased focus on UVA irradiance as a carcinogen, and as UVA exposure confers little protection against subsequent UV exposure.
What's already known about this topic?
The ultraviolet (UV) irradiance from indoor tanning devices is supposedly similar to that of tropical sun.
It is not known whether the intensity and wavelength distributions are similar, and whether these have changed over time.
What does this study add?
Erythema‐weighted UV from indoor tanning devices is generally higher than from natural sun, with large variations between devices.
UVA irradiance from tanning devices is much higher than from natural sun.
Plain language summary available online
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