Most local sunbed rays more than twice safe limit

COUNCIL bosses have issued a warning about sunbeds after most local tanning parlours inspected were found to breach safety guidelines – emitting rays more than twice the safe limit.

Sunbed businesses have been told to change lighting tubes after a survey by Trading Standards, and health and safety officers revealed that most emit rays twice as high as the European safe limit of 0.3 watts – equivalent to the midday sun in the Mediterranean.

The survey has led Laura Peggs, health promotion co-ordinator at North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC), to warn young people that using sunbeds before the age of 35 increases the risk of skin cancer by up to 75 per cent.

She said: "Young people don't think they have to worry about skin damage because they are young, however, you can't always see the damage done by UV rays straight away.

"It builds up and every time you use a sun bed you are harming your skin and worsening its appearance in the long run.

"This damage is permanent and surgical treatment for skin cancer can result in serious scarring."

Businesses have been inspected over two years and NELC claims all have now been advised on the safe limit and told to renew tubes.

NELC's community protection manager Neil Clark said: "We're happy to work with businesses to help them comply but legal action will be considered against those that have not taken the advice given."

However, Jo Revill, owner of Eden Tanning, Health And Beauty in Immingham, says that she had no idea the legal limit was 0.3 watts until the council completed the survey. Mrs Revill will be replacing the tubes in the next four weeks – but it will cost her a total of £2,300 for the three sunbeds.

She said: "It's a lot of money to pay but there's also the problem of what customers think – the new bulbs are less powerful but it is charged by the minute so people think you are trying to swindle them.

"However, other people I know in the business have said the new bulbs give you a richer and deeper tan and I think people will prefer quality over quantity."

Mrs Revill also thinks that using sunbeds can often be better than the alternative.

She added: "They can be good for a number of skin conditions and for preparing your skin for holiday if you are pale or suffer from prickly heat. Wherever you go on holiday or even on a sunny day, you see people with bright red skin which is much more harmful.

"Most people are very sensible about how they use sunbeds but people always fail to mention the benefits."

For more health news, see pages 16 and 17.

Find more information about sunbeds at:

www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/852.aspx

www.sunbedassociation.org.uk/faqs.htm