Sat, Jul 19, 2008 (2:04 a.m.)

In light of a report released last week, young women should be asking themselves: Is getting bronzed through prolonged tannning worth the risk of slowly dying from skin cancer?

It is a question, actually, for everyone, as ultraviolet rays from both the sun and tanning beds can harm skin cells without prejudice to age or gender. But the demographics of tanning are indisputable — far and away more young women participate than anyone else.

The report was written by Mark Purdue of the National Cancer Institute, whose research team reviewed 31 years of U.S. melanoma statistics.

Although the rate of melanoma — the deadliest form of skin cancer — was found to have remained steady among men, the results for young women were alarming. For every 100,000 women 15 to 39 years old there were 5.5 cases of melanoma in 1973. By 1980 there were nearly 11 cases. And by 2004 there were 16.5 cases.

The study suggested, naturally, that frequent use of tanning salons, patronized mostly by young women, could be a reason for the rising statistics. Others agreed. CBS News anchor Katie Couric interviewed Dr. Jeanine Downie, a dermatologist.

“Let’s say an average of 1 million people tan per day,” Downie said. “And of that, 71 percent of tanning salon patrons are young women. So there’s your answer.”

Newsday interviewed Dr. Colette Pameijer, a cancer surgeon. “I personally think tanning is absolutely related to it,” Pameijer said. “It’s like an addiction for women.”

The Los Angeles Times interviewed Dr. John Glaspy, a professor of medicine at UCLA’s cancer center. He spoke to the sources of harmful ultraviolet radiation. “The first is ... the sun ... and the other is tanning salons,” he said.

Downie also reminded viewers that pollution has depleted the atmosphere’s ozone layer, which protects Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. “This is not our grandmother’s sun,” she said.

We hope young women — and all those overexposing themselves to natural or artificial sunlight — begin weighing the short-term benefits of a nice tan against the possible consequences later in life.