An old trend has unfortunately worked its way back into the spotlight over the last few months. During the 1990s and early 2000s, tanning beds grew drastically in popularity after commercial sunbeds were developed in the 1970s.
It’s understandable why there was such widespread use of sunbeds in previous decades, especially in a country where the majority of people are naturally ghostly pale. You can develop a natural bronze colour without staining bedsheets, with no fake tan smell and no scrubbing off patchy tan at the end of the week.
Towards the end of the 2000s, there was, thankfully, a huge cutback on sunbed use. People began to realise that not only were the lamps causing their skin to age drastically, but they were also sparking many new cases of skin cancer. It soon became public knowledge that when our bodies are exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from either the sun or sunbed bulbs it can cause skin cancer cells to form.
There is no way to tan safely using UV radiation however, sunbeds emit twelve times more UV radiation than the sun, therefore making them significantly more harmful.
According to the Irish Cancer Society, if you are to use sunbeds, your risk of developing melanoma skin cancer increases by 15 per cent, and if you use sunbeds before the age of 35, you increase the risk by 75 per cent.
These statistics were enough at the time for sunbed users to switch to other options; however, over the last few years there has been a major spike in Gen Z using sunbeds again. A recent survey by charity Melanoma Focus found that 28 per cent of adults in the UK are using sunbeds, with 43 per cent of people between the ages of 18-25 actively using this form of UV tanning.
Belfast is currently the area using sunbeds the most, with 37 per cent of adults admitting to being in contact with tanning beds.
Although the risks of UV radiation have been made abundantly clear over the last few decades, there is still a large range of people using sunbeds, with Ireland alone having 365 tanning salons in the country. Last May, the HSE announced that skin cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Ireland with an average of 11,000 cases per year.
With a generation who are constantly on social media, comparing themselves and trying to perfect their appearance, it is no wonder that many of the young women in Ireland are striving for a naturally bronzed appearance, especially when many of their favourite celebrities and influencers are promoting them. However, there are many other alternatives to sunbeds that, although they may require more effort, are a much safer option.
There are hundreds of fake tans on the market, from instant to developing mousses and foams. There are also spray tans that will last a lot longer and won’t appear patchy towards the end. Although they may be slightly more time-consuming, I’m sure a bit of exfoliating and moisturising is better than any unusual-looking mole.
If you do continue to use sunbeds, there are many different symptoms that you can look out for. If you feel any new freckles or moles have appeared on your body and you are feeling any which way concerned about them it is best to see a doctor straight away.
This also applies to spots and irregular patches of skin. If any of the moles, freckles, spots, etc. that you had prior to using sunbeds have grown, are itchy or sore or have changed colour in any way, it is best to visit a doctor so they can give you their professional opinion.