The War on Sunbeds

This week sunbeds were outlawed in every state in Australia. All commercial sunbeds will be banned in a bid to slash skin cancer rates. The ban will come into force by December 31st next year. Australia is the first country in the world to adopt this measure and many countries will look upon Australia and monitor the outcome of the ban. 

Sunbeds are on nearly every high street in the UK. Sometimes you'll walk down to your local cross and you may even have more than one sunbed parlour on the same street. People still continue to use sunbeds, but are they really aware of how dangerous sunbeds actually are? Do sunbed users understand how much harm they are causing to their skin?

Sunbeds give out UV rays which damage the DNA in your skin cells. Over time, this damage can build up and may eventually lead to skin cancer.

What are the laws for sunbeds in Scotland?

Under the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008:

- Coin operated sunbeds are no longer allowed.

- A member of staff must be supervising sunbed use.

- Sunbed operators are not allowed to hire sunbeds to under 18s.

- Sunbed operators must show information on the health risks linked with using a sunbed.

These laws are great and are in place to make sure only those old enough to make an educated decision use sunbeds. By the time you’re old enough to use sunbeds you should come to realise how dangerous they are. But sunbeds still continue to be used.

What is being done to get the message out?

This year alone MASScot have reached out to 8000 pupils across 28 different schools, spreading the message of sun protection and the dangers of sunbeds, keeping the young educated. This is an essential tool in keeping people off the beds. Educating the public, making them aware of the facts and providing them with the information to make an informed decision is one of the best ways of reducing skin cancer, and making sure people stay away from the sunbeds.

Liverpool Fashion Week

Liverpool fashion week organisers have banned models that use sunbeds in order to discourage copycat teenagers from risking skin cancer. This a great step forward in terms of raising awareness. It sends a simple message that sunbeds are harmful and you risk skin cancer by using them.

"We want our models to look their absolute best, which means not putting themselves at risk of skin cancer or premature ageing from the sunbeds." - Amanda Moss, organiser of Liverpool Fashion Week

With the dangers associated with sunbeds gaining more and more traction, slowly people in the UK are becoming aware of their dangers. And maybe one day Scotland will follow Australia’s example and finally get rid of all commercial sunbeds.

Tanning Myths

• Being tanned is not a sign of health - The simple fact that your skin has changed colour is a sign of damage.Skin damage from sunbeds is just as big a problem for young people - You can't always see the damage that UV does straight away as it builds up gradually.
• Spending more time on sunbeds will not make you tan look any better - We each have our own tanning limits. No matter how much UV you receive there comes a point when your skin won't get any darker.
• Sunbed tanning is no safer than sun tanning - Sunbeds are not a 'safe' alternative to sun tanning.
• You cannot tan safely by building your sunbed tan gradually - Unfortunately, using sunscreen or limiting your time on a sunbed will not completely protect your skin from damage and ageing.
• You don’t need a sunbed to get Vitamin D - You only need short exposures to the sun to produce adequate amounts.

 R UV UGLY?