Cancer Research Blasts Defiant Sunbed Firms For Spreading Dangerous Lies Claiming Tanned Skin Protects Users

Health organisations and cancer experts are pushing back against claims made by the UK's largest tanning bed industry group after it suggested sunbeds do not cause cancer, warning that the statements contradict decades of scientific evidence linking ultraviolet radiation to skin cancer.

Health organisations and Cancer Research Firms Slam Sunbed Association

Medical authorities including the NHS, the European Commission and US health agencies say there is no safe way to tan using UV radiation, with experts warning that misinformation about sunbeds could put public health at risk.

The British Association of Dermatologists said: 'There is no safe way to get a tan. Whether from the sun or a sunbed, a tan is a visible sign that your skin has been damaged by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which increases your risk of skin cancer.'

The NHS, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, European Commission and both the US's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration all pointed out the risk of tanning. 'The only safe way to use [sunbeds] is not to use them at all,' the commission said.

Full Fact, one of the UK's biggest fact checkers said: 'So when the Sunbed Association suggests there is such a thing as a safe tan, it is contradicting many of the most respected scientific authorities around the world.'

Evidence shows that the Sunbed Association's website 'contains incorrect health advice on tanning,' it added. It warns that 'bad health information can be very dangerous.'

Sophie Brooks, the health information manager at Cancer Research UK, told Full Fact: 'There's no such thing as safe tanning from UV radiation.'

'A tan is a sign of skin damage and offers very little protection against the sun. A bit of sun helps our bodies make Vitamin D. But there's no need to sunbathe or risk sunburn to get enough Vitamin D. Too much sun can cause sunburn and increase the risk of skin cancer.'

Sunbed Association's False Claims

Sunbed Association says that their 'members train staff to screen out high-risk customers with very fair skin and, under its guidelines, no individual should be allowed to buy more than 60 sessions a year,' according to the BBC.

The Sunbed Association, which represents half the UK's tanning shops, says the health organisations and cancer research firms are using 'outdated data', but encourages its members not to use medical claims in advertising.

Chairman of Sunbed Association Gary Lipman says he would 'encourage members not to make health claims.'

'Tanning salons are selling a tan - we are not doctors. I think some of these claims are going too far,' he said.