| Dr Harry Moseley, head of the photobiology unit at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee, was presenting the results of his research to members of the Society for Radiological Protection in London today.
His findings, which have been backed by cancer charities, are based on tests of 133 sunbeds in the Dundee and Perth and Kinross council areas.
Comparing the results against a survey in 1997, Dr Moseley contends that the risk of developing skin cancer from sunbed use is now between two and three times that estimated a decade ago.
He is now calling for the regulation of commercial sunbeds and much better public education in the potential risks of regular tanning salon use.
“Exposing yourself to ultra violet radiation is not a healthy thing to do. People should know that it carries a risk of skin cancer and I’d simply advise people not to use them,” he said.
Visits were carried out to 50 different premises, ranging from tanning studios, beauty salons, sports centres and hotel leisure complexes to hairdressers and video shops.
Some 83% of the sunbeds had ultra violet light outputs that exceeded the limit laid down in the British and European standard.
There was also a 30% rise in the number of unregulated, privately operated sunbeds. Many facilities were unsupervised, coin-operated and with no limit on the age of users or number of sessions.
Said Dr Moseley, “It’s hard to say how many cancers are caused by sunbeds, because people who use sunbeds probably sunbathe as well. One study estimated there are an additional 100 deaths from sunbeds every year.
“You’re exposing yourself to powerful ultra-violet radiation. The more you expose yourself, the greater the risk.”
Dr Moseley said that it was up to the individual whether they used a sunbed or not, but called for them to be regulated so that users would be fully informed of the risks.
The Sunbed Association, however, today rejected claims the risk of developing skin cancer from sunbed use has more than doubled in a decade.
Chief executive Kathy Banks said, “Over the last 10 years, the sunbed industry has responded to the advice of the scientific and medical professions by adjusting the output of the tubes to simulate sunshine. Now the same professions are claiming this adjustment is increasing the risk of skin cancer.
“The increased risk of developing skin cancer comes from over-exposure to UV, whether on a sunbed or in natural sunlight, not from controlled exposure.” |
