Sunbed Use Soars in South-West

An estimated 70,000 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK alone each year, and alarmingly, this is only set to rise. Experts blame the increased use of sunbeds combined with the fashion for a tan, and are predicting an increase in general sunbed use over the coming months due to the recession. Rather than splashing out on luxury package deals, last years holiday makers are this time choosing to top up their tans a little closer to home at their local tanning shop.

 

Over the past eight years Newton Abbot has steadily acquired ‘O Zone,’ ‘Salsa Tanning,’ ‘Get Wicked,’ and now the latest edition, ‘Consol Tanning’ -the latter, a breed of unsupervised tanning salons that have recently been banned in Scotland. It would seem acceptable to assume that with three of these literally metres away from one another, business would be highly competitive, and yet there appears to be a steady flow of customers in all that I visit.

 

Laura White, 21, a receptionist and regular Consol Tanning customer seems unfazed by the A4 disclaimer on the wall of the Newton Abbot salon. “I feel better about myself with a tan- I try to go on for about ten minutes twice a week. My mates all use them too and we’re off to Newquay next month- I don’t want to be the only pale one on the beach do I?!”

 

Jo Viner Smith, manager of the Cancer Research UK's skin cancer prevention campaign SunSmart said: "We particularly discourage sunbed use by people with skin that is more susceptible to sun damage; for example, those with fair hair, freckles, moles, or whose skin burns easily and among under-16s. We want to increase this recommendation to 18, and hope the recommendation will stop tanning salons from targeting young people with claims of unproven health benefits."

 

Patricia Washbook, manager of ‘O Zone’ in Newton Abbot, admitted that a vast amount of young people try to use her sunbeds. “I had a group of girls come in here last week wanting to use the beds. They couldn’t present any ID, so I had to turn them away on the grounds that they appeared to be under sixteen. As they left, one of them told me they would go to the unmanned ones down the road instead. I do think it is dangerous. At O-Zone, we know our customers, and keep a close eye on everyone to make sure they are tanning responsibly. When you get unmanned ones, there are people who get a bit obsessive.”

 

A technician at Salsa Tanning who wished to remain anonymous stressed that they also kept a close eye on customers. “All our client’s details, colouring and skin type is kept on our records. We know exactly how often people come in, and if somebody started wanting to go on every day, I would definitely tell them to cut back.”

 

New figures from the South West Public Health Observatory have revealed that more people in the South West of England get skin cancer than in any other part of the country.