QC Open Forum: Are Gay Men Really More Prone To Use Indoor Tanning Than Straight Men?

According to a new research published by Dr. Howa Yeung gay and bisexual men are “more likely than straight men” to use indoor tanning. In our experience gay men are certainly more inclined to spend lots of time when it comes to enhance their physical appearances but it is somewhat surprising that an activity that some consider potentially dangerous (when done in excess) is so popular. On one hand we love that men in tan salons really really like to take nude selfies there, we don’t know if it’s because the lighting or the large mirrors but as the pics in this post can attest the situation tends to be very common, on the other hand we can’t help but worry about all those penises at risk of being burnt.

All kidding aside the numbers of the report are fascinating and frightening, gay and bisexual men were three times and five times, respectively, more likely than straight men to have tanned indoors within the past year. And about five and seven times, respectively, more likely to tan “frequently” than straight men. Straight women have historically been considered the highest risk group for indoor tanning but men have been largely overlooked in this type of studies said Dr. Yeung from Emory University in Atlanta. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that as many as 400,000 cases of skin cancer may be related to indoor tanning in the United States each year, including 6,000 melanomas, which are the deadliest type of skin cancer. The responsible doctors of the study said they can’t identify why gay and bisexual men are more likely to tan indoors than straight men yet, but it is evident that dissatisfaction with body image plays a huge role. Dr. Yeung also said they can’t say whether the increased popularity of indoor tanning among gay and bisexual men translates into more cancers, because databases that track cancer don’t ask about sexual orientation.

We ask you QC reader do you think gay men in general have a tanning addiction problem? Tell us in the comments!

“We’re not surprised that there is more indoor tanning among gay and bisexual men, compared to straight men, but what is striking is that the absolute prevalence rivals that of straight women,” Dr. Howa Yeung

h/t: HuffPo