Sunbeds are so dangerous they should be banned in the UK, cancer experts and campaigners say.
They have urged ministers to order the closure of the thousands of tanning salons operating across Britain, using public funds to compensate owners if necessary.
Commercial sunbeds play such a damaging role in causing skin cancer, and a ban on under-18s using them is so widely flouted, that an outright ban is justified, they argue in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
“An immediate outright ban on commercial sunbeds alongside public education offers the most cost-effective solution to reduce skin cancer, save lives and ease the burden on the NHS,” they say.
The call comes from experts at the Christie cancer hospital in Manchester, including Prof Paul Lorigan, campaigners from the British charity Melanoma Focus and a skin cancer specialist in Australia whose work helped persuade its government to ban sunbeds in 2016.
Tanning is experiencing a boom in popularity, especially among generation Z, with sunbeds even being promoted – to doctors’ dismay – as an important element of wellness.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared in 2009 that exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds is carcinogenic to humans because it causes melanoma and other forms of skin cancer.
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with 17,600 new diagnoses and 2,700 deaths a year. Rates of the disease have risen and are projected to increase further by 2040, linked to people holidaying in sunny countries.
IARC’s view, and a report that year by the UK’s Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (Comare), led the government to outlaw the use of sunbeds for under-18s in England and Wales.
However, regulation of tanning salons has failed because a sizeable minority of 16- and 17-year-olds still use them, the co-authors of an opinion article wrote in the BMJ.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) backed the closure of tanning salons. The co-authors estimate it would cost between £11m and £55m. Last year there were an estimated 4,231 salons in England and 232 in Wales. The number in Scotland and Northern Ireland was unknown.
“It’s a well-known fact that sunbeds increase the risk of skin cancer and there are safer alternatives like fake tan. That’s why phasing out sunbeds would help reduce cancer risk and support people to live longer, healthier lives,” said Kate Oldridge-Turner, WCRF’s head of policy and public affairs.
But while Cancer Research UK warned people not to use sunbeds, it did not endorse the call.
“Despite what people might hear on social media, there is no such thing as safe tanning using sunbeds. It’s illegal to allow anyone under the age of 18 to use sunbeds, and it’s vital that this is properly enforced,” said Fiona Osgun, its head of health information.
“Some people are more at risk of skin cancer than others, including those with lighter skin tones, lots of freckles or moles, or a history of burning easily.
“But everyone who uses sunbeds increases their risk of cancer. Nearly nine in 10 cases of melanoma are caused by exposure to too much UV radiation from the sun and sunbeds.
“If you want to look tanned, it’s much safer to get a spray tan or use fake tan from a bottle.”
The government urged people not to use sunbeds and said it was considering further steps to tackle the harm they cause.
“Commercial sunbeds significantly increase the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers from UV radiation. It is strongly advised not to use them at all,” a government spokesperson said.
“Anyone considering using a sunbed should understand the serious health risks. We are looking at the evidence and considering next steps.”
