There are around 12,800 cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed in the UK a year
and rates have more than quadrupled in the past 30 years, a faster rise than
any other cancer.
Professor Harry Moseley, consultant medical physicist at University of Dundee
and lead author, said: "The development of high-power sunlamps, along with
clear failures of the sunbed industry to regulate themselves effectively, is
putting young people at an even greater risk of skin cancer than we
previously thought.
"We hope that these findings will make people think twice before using sunbeds
as you can't be sure how much radiation you're exposing yourself to when you
try to top-up a tan.
“People need to be encouraged to take better care of their skin,
otherwise the cases of malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin
cancer, will continue to increase in England."
Yinka Ebo, senior health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said:
"It's worrying to see that so many sunbeds in England are not meeting the
safety standards. This strengthens our advice that using a sunbed just isn't
worth it.
"Research has already shown that using sunbeds for the first time before the
age of 35 increases the risk of malignant melanoma by 87 per cent. They're
not going to do you any good – the best case scenario is that they'll age
and damage your skin; the worst case scenario is a cancer diagnosis and
potentially death."
The strength of UV from sunbeds was found to be no different in those areas
where the licensing of sunbeds is required compared to unlicensed areas.
The British and European standard was introduced in 2003 and sets out a
maximum level of UV radiation to be emitted by sunbeds used for cosmetic
purposes. The findings suggest that there is much more work for local
authorities to do to ensure that standards are being met by tanning
businesses.
Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists explained: "Product
safety standards are there to protect the public and the government needs to
step up its regulation of the industry.
"England is sadly trailing behind the rest of the UK in this matter. We need
proper regulation, covering issues like safety of equipment and health
warnings for clients and enforceable through inspections of premises."
Gary Lipman, chairman of The Sunbed Association said: "The findings of this
study are two years out of date.
“If the study was undertaken today the results would be dramatically
different.
“Sunbeds have been required to have a maximum UV output since 2009 and The
Sunbed Association (TSA) has been working with its members, non-members and
the enforcement departments within local authorities since that time to
inform about the change in UV emission levels, advise how to become
compliant and ensure compliance. All new and traded sunbeds since April 2009
have had to be compliant.
"Sunbed users should check with their salon that the sunbed is 0.3 compliant
and that means its UV emission levels are guaranteed to be no higher than
the mid-day Mediterranean sun. There has never been a safer time to use a
sunbed.
"In addition, the statistic quoted from CRUK about sunbed use and melanoma
risk was taken from a report published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ)
last year.
“Since publication the data findings of the report were challenged and a
correction about the report was printed in the December 2012 issue of the
BMJ. This statistic is categorically inaccurate. It is time to stop the
scaremongering amount sunbed use and focus on communicating the need for
responsible UV exposure whether on a sunbed or in the sun."
Source:
http://www.ezonearticle.com/2013/01/17/sunbeds-are-twice-as-dangerous-as-midday-sun-researchers/
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