Fay, also 14, has turned her naturally pale skin orange-brown after two years using
sunbeds. She said:
The tests establish how much ultraviolet radiation (UVR) the
sunbeds produce, which can increase the risk of developing skin cancer.
"Because sunburn is mostly caused by UVB rays, many people assume that the relatively low levels of this form of radiation in
sunbeds makes them safer than being exposed to natural sunlight.
For high dose
sunbeds, the risk is For high dose
sunbeds, the risk is increased by 180 per cent .
The survey of more than 3,000 11 to 17 year olds found the ban on use of
sunbeds among children introduced in Scotland in 2009 and England and Wales in 2011 has reduced the number of under 18s using them--4.5% compared to 6.8% in 2008/09.
The latest NHS guidance says many
sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday Mediterranean sun.
The charity, which released the poll as part of its
sunbed awareness campaign R UV UGLY, warned that
sunbeds can increase the risk of skin cancer and can cause skin damage.
Following the introduction of former Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan's law banning under-18s from using
sunbeds in England and Wales in April 2011, the Welsh Government introduced a series of strict regulations to enhance the law.
It's illegal for people under the age of 18 to use
sunbeds. The
Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 makes it an offence for someone operating a
sunbed business to permit under-18s to use a
sunbed or even be allowed in an area reserved for
sunbed users unless they are working as an employee of the business.
He made the comments after the founder of Melanoma UK, Gillian Nuttall, claimed the charity was under "severe pressure" from the
Sunbed Association over its campaign to ban
sunbeds - a claim the trade body disputes.
A petition started by the charity claims rates of melanoma have reduced in Australia after
sunbeds were banned there in 2013.
In SA,
sunbeds are widely available [9] for use in beauty salons, fitness gyms and hair salons, and for sale, both new and second hand.