Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study has directly linked the use of tanning beds to an increased risk of melanoma, a type of cancer.

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and Masonic Center, and focused on roughly 2,300 people in total.

The idea behind the study was to try and figure out if there was a direct link between the use of an indoor tanning bed, and the development of cancer.

For years now, it has been believed that these tanning beds can do great harm to your health, with many believing that they can lead to skin cancer.

This new study has virtually proven that if you use an indoor tanning bed, you greatly increase your risk of developing the disease.

What researchers found was that people who use any type of tanning bed are 74% more likely to develop the skin cancer melanoma.

People who used tanning bed 100 times over the course of a 10-year period were found to be roughly 3 times more likely to develop the potentially fatal disease compared to those who do not use indoor tanning beds.

This is a very scare development to say the least and is one that will likely detract some from using these tanning beds.

The study has been published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.