Time to ban the sunbed tan?
9:41am Friday 18th April 2008
Cancer Research UK is calling for a ban on all coin-operated sunbeds to beat rising cases of skin cancer in young women. Patricia Allen reports
THE glossy magazines tell us to look pale and interesting, but as most of us know, brown and beautiful seems to work best.
Even more so for youngsters - their wardrobe suits a tan. Low risejeans, bare midriffs, short ruffle skirts are just a few of this summer's essentials and we haven't even hit the beach.
No wonder teens and 20-somethings are spending as much time in the tanning salon as they are at the nail bar. But getting all tanned up' has its price.
TV presenter and actress Denise Van Outen this week admitted that her teenage sunbed addiction left her with pigmentation scars on her face for which she still has to wear heavy make up to hide. She said in her column for Now magazine: I didn't know the risks but I'm paying for it now. It's my biggest regret.
Now my tan's from a bottle and safe.'' What's worse, your next sunbed could even prove fatal. The statistics make for scary reading.
According to a recent survey, commissioned by Cancer Research UK, eight out of ten sunbed users (82 per cent) have increased their risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer by around 75 per cent, by using a sunbed before the age of 35.
Malignant melanoma, the potentially fatal form of skin cancer, is now the most common cancer in young adults aged between 15 and 34.
Rebecca Russell, Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign manager, warns: The results of our survey make for a stark warning to young people about the dangers of indoor tanning.
"You can't always see the damage that UV does straight away. It builds up over time. But every time you use a sunbed you are harming your skin and increasing your risk of skin cancer.
"This year our key message is to alert young people about the damage sunbeds can do to their skin, especially if they have fair skin that doesn't tan easily.
We would like legislation to prevent under-18s using sunbeds and to ban unmanned coin-operated sunbeds which can attract under-age users.'' Not famed for its blue skies and sunshine, Liverpool made the news recently for a huge rise in this teen tan craze.
The number of malignant melanoma cases dealt with at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals has more than doubled in the past five years, from 50 to 110 last year.
I think this is due to a number of factors, including childhood sunburn, excessive sunbathing and the increased number of young people using sunbeds excessively,'' explained Dr Richard Azurdia, consultant dermatologist at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals.
In the North-East, Stockton Council has led the way in campaigning for more responsible use of sunbeds. Back in 2004 Rob Llewellyn, principal environmental health officer with Stockton Council, launched a high-profile campaign using the slogan Develop a Tan: Nothing Else. It proved so successful that it became part of national advice given to sun bed operators by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Rob reckons the local tanning salons are now very on board as far as the safety message is concerned. But he argues that because of changes in sunbed technology, which means that sunbeds and vertical tanning booths are even more powerful than they were four years ago, it is even more important to take the safety message seriously. "Because there are now more people around who are using sunbeds for longer, we know that there is an increased risk. That message is getting across now," said Rob. "If anything the message of our campaign four years ago are even more valid today."
The Stockton campaign urged under-16s, people with fair skin, anyone with a history of sunburn, people with a large number of freckles or moles and those with a family history of skin cancer to avoid using sunbeds or booths.
Poignantly, the campaign in Stockton was launched by Sam*, a 31-year-old mother-oftwo from the town who had recently been diagnosed with terminal skin cancer after heavily using tanning salons.
At the launch she told an audience of sunbed operators: "I won't be around to see my two young sons become adults because nobody told me it was unsafe for me to use a sunbed. Please warn your customers about the risks."
Unfortunately, the daily diet of photographs of bronzed celebrities could be responsible for teenagers and wannabe WAGs risking all for a socalled healthy glow.
Jane Gill, fashion and style director of teen magazine Sugar says: Sugar totally supports the anti-sunbed campaign.
We believe that there is absolutely no need to use a sunbed, first and foremost because of the terrible consequences involved. We are backing the campaign to ban coin-operated sunbeds and also to raise the age of sunbed use to 18. Our message to teens is to say no to sunbeds and fake it.'' Celebrity fans of self-tanning products include Sienna Miller, Jemima Khan, Sarah Harding and Myleen Klass.
Victoria Beckham has someone from St Tropez who comes to her house to give her an all-over glow and everyone saw Jordan on her TV show buy her own fake tan spray kit.
We have to underline the message that fake tan, from a bottle or a spray tan, is the safest and best way to tan,'' says Charmian Harris, beauty editor of NOW.
But sun-worshippers need not despair completely.
Dr Des Fernandes, an expert at the International Institute of Anti-Ageing advises us not to become sun phobic.
Natural sunshine can be good for the health.
Recommended exposure for Vitamin D synthesis is approximately 15 minutes daily in sunlight. Vitamin D is vital to protect against many diseases, including cancer,'' he says.
The secret is to choose your sunscreen carefully.
Some chemicals in high SPFs can be counterproductive.
Choose a sunscreen that contains a combination of anti-oxidant vitamins (C, E and betacarotene).'' So save those coins for the health club, immerse yourself in a jacuzzi, take time out in a steam room, and spend any leftover change on a spray tan.
After all, as Nicole Kidman proves every time she steps out on the red carpet, pale can be beautiful too.
* Four years on The Northern Echo has been unable to contact Sam.
CANCER WARNING SIGNS
The British Association of Dermatologists advises learning the following ABCDEasy rules to checking a mole:
Asymmetry - The two halves of the area may differ in shape
Border - The edges of the area may be irregular or blurred, and sometimes show notches
Colour - This may be uneven.
Different shades of black, brown and pink may be seen
Diameter - Most melanomas are at least 6mm in diameter. Report any change in size, shape or diameter to your doctor
Expert - If in doubt, check it out. If your GP is concerned about your skin, make sure you see a consultant dermatologist, the most expert person to diagnose a skin cancer.
Your GP can refer you via the NHS.
* Sun Awareness Week is May 5-11.