Tan From Sunbeds More Dangerous Than Midday Sun

By Margarita Nahapetyan

One fifth of fake-tanning or sunbed users say that they are going to spend even more time in tanning booths the upcoming summer, blaming the recession to literally kill all their chances of going on vacation. In order to have a perfect tan, these individuals seem to ignore warnings from health experts and concerned authorities that sunbed rays can be 15 times more dangerous than the sun.

According to a recent survey carried out by Cancer Research UK, sunbed fans reported that the crisis in the economy will definitely prevent them from enjoying a tan from the beach, and that they are only left with the much cheaper and even more convenient option of going to the salon. Katy Scammell, SunSmart campaign manager at Cancer Research UK, said that as the financial crisis and recession strongly affect people's vacation plans, what is clear is that a tan is still something that many individuals long for. "Using a sunbed may seem like a cheap, quick fix to achieve that summer glow, yet while the process may only take a few moments, the damage can last a lifetime," she said.

The charity says that some UV rays that are being received from sunbeds are up to fifteen times stronger than those from the midday sun, and recommended applying fake tan. According to Ms. Scammell, not only do the hazardous rays increase a person's risk of developing skin cancer, but they also result in early ageing and the appearance of lines, wrinkles and rough, leathery skin.

The poll for Cancer Research UK revealed that a third (34 per cent) of more than 2,000 people who took part in the survey said that they were less likely take a sunny trip the upcoming summer due to the recession and almost one out of every five sunbed users (19 per cent) said that they planned to use it even more frequently. Almost one out of three (29 per cent) of the surveyors said that they would get very upset if they did not have a chance to get a tan. Approximately half (46 per cent) of those in the poll said that a tan made them look healthier and more than one fifth (22 per cent) said that tan made them feel more attractive.

This latest findings have been released right after another worrying research, also carried out by the SunSmart campaign. That study demonstrated that tanorexia, or tan-binging alone was responsible for the increasing number of skin cancer cases in the United Kingdom. The study also found that there is an increasing number of salons having sunbeds that do not provide any assistance from a staff member, and no one to verify the age of the user or how often they get tanned. And the obsession with having an attractive tanned body seems to be spreading to children as well, with girls as young as 12, sneaking secretly into the tanning booths. In spite of the fact that it is against the law for anyone under 16 years of age to use a sunbed, in reality it is pretty difficult to stop the young fans.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United Kingdom, especially among individuals with the ages between 15 and 34 years, and the numbers are still on a rise. The overall percentage of those who suffer the disease has increased four times since the 1970s, with nearly 9,000 people diagnosed every year.