Indoor tanning and adolescents: Dependency or self-medication

This article was prompted by a review of a 2006 survey by Zeller and colleagues of adolescents on indoor tanning behavior. A brief overview of the study is provided. Then, pointing to the parallel between indoor tanning dependence and diagnostic criteria, the neurobiological basis for indoor tanning is expanded with discussion of the circadian cycle. Implications for clinical practice, research, and public policy are identified for this at-risk population.