Fluorescent Lights and Melanoma

Fluorescent lights work by having ultraviolet (UV) light pass through glass coated with a layer of phosphorus. The resulting combination is the white light you see once you turn on the light.

Study Subject

• Fluorescent lights do emit low levels of ultraviolet (UV) rays, and a number of studies have looked at whether this can affect a person's chances of developing melanoma.

Office Light May Be Suspect

• In 1982, a study published in "The Lancet" found that female office workers had an increased risk of developing melanoma--over double that of those who didn't have as much exposure to fluorescent light. The study found that men had almost four times the risk.

Speculation

• The mechanism in fluorescent lights that is related to this increase is not known. Fluorescent light may set off some sort of chemical process in the body, or it may be the light spectrum contained in fluorescent lighting or a combination with some other factor to produce the higher risk.

Inconsistent Results

• Studies have not shown consistent results. A 1988 University of Glasgow study showed no significantly increased risk, and a 1992 Canadian study showed an increased risk for men but no consistent risk for women.

Extra Barriers

• The FDA notes that compact fluorescent glass acts as a UV filter but does not block all the rays, and that the additional layer on some bulbs (meant to make them resemble incandescent bulbs) may provide extra protection.