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Maurice A. M. van Steensel, MD, PhD

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

In the August issue of the Archives, Keen et al¹ discuss recent clinical evidence that UV-seeking behavior should perhaps be seen as an addictive disorder.^2-3 This insight is important because it implies that excessive tanning behavior should be approached as a form of substance abuse and that altering patients' sunning habits will not be a trivial matter. Unfortunately, Keen et al do not mention recent molecular and clinical data supporting the idea that excessive UV tanning behavior results from an addiction to endogenous opioids.^4-5 I believe that these recent data strongly justify treating excessive sun-seeking behavior as an addiction. This idea has important implications for dermatologic practice, and the recent report describing its possible molecular background⁴ may have escaped most readers' attention.

Induction of pigmentation by UV irradiation requires keratinocytes to secrete -melanocyte-stimulating hormone (-MSH), a cleavage product of the prohormone . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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