Tanning and Skin Infections

Lying in tanning bed may lead to skin infections.
The New York Times (4/8, E3, Saint Louis) reports that "lying in a tanning bed may...lead to skin infections, according to a study published in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology." Study lead author Julie E. Russak, MD, of Mount Sinai Hospital, "swabbed a tanning bed at 10 Upper East Side salons that received top ratings from New York magazine in 2008," finding "staph bacteria" and "the bacteria in fecal matter. A scratch can let in either, potentially causing whiteheads or abscesses, said" study author Darrell S. Rigel, MD, of New York University. Notably, every single bed tested had those bacteria.