Investigating skin age analysis to reduce tanning intentions among adolescents: A pilot study.

ABSTRACT

As skin cancer rates continue to rise, targeted efforts to reduce excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation are crucial. Adolescents are a high-risk population for intentional tanning; thus, we sought to determine whether the novel use of skin age analysis with ultraviolet (UV) photography would be an effective tool for reducing intentions to tan in adolescents with a calculated skin age (measured by complexion analysis software) that exceeds their actual age. Surveying 85 students in this study, skin age difference above zero was associated with reduced intentions to tan (P = 0.006) and high-risk sun exposure behaviors were identified. This provides rationale for skin age analysis as a potentially effective intervention in decreasing intentions to tan in this high-risk young population.