Should sunbeds have an age restriction?
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Many young people could be damaging their health by using sunbeds according to recent World Health Organization (WHO) guidance which has placed them in the highest risk category for causing cancer. So we sent 16-year-old EastEnders actress Melissa Suffield to investigate.
The WHO says sun beds should only be used by those aged 18 and over. It's illegal for children under 18 to use them in France and California and it will be illegal for under 18s to use them in Scotland from December. However, in the rest of the UK there are no laws to stop children using a sunbed whenever they want.
Around six million people use sun beds every year in the UK and as many as 100 people get melanoma from them. A young person regularly using sunbeds is about 75% more likely to get this fatal form of skin cancer.
Despite this, the UK's top five health clubs all have sunbeds. Were they bothered about the ages of those who used them and what would they say about the risks? We sent two 17 year olds to find out.
Esporta and Virgin Active only let over 18s on their sunbeds and they display health warnings. That's the official policy at LA Fitness too. But two other chains do allow 16 and 17 year olds onto their beds. Those are Bannatynes run by Dragons' Den presenter Duncan Bannatyne and Fitness First which is the largest chain in Britain.
Our 17 year olds visited 20 branches of Fitness First. In two-thirds of the gyms, they didn't see any signs warning them about the dangers to their skin. Instead, the gyms displayed leaflets and posters promoting the health benefits of sun beds. The leaflets claimed that the Vitamin D you get from a sunbed will improve your immune system, decrease your cholesterol level and relieve osteoporosis. We checked these claims with doctors who say they have no validity whatsoever. You can get all the Vitamin D you need from a few minutes in the sun every week.
One leaflet does say in the small print that Fitness First recognises the risks and provides guidance for all users. But this didn't happen in more than half of the branches we went to. Staff failed to carry out the skin check or monitor how long or how often our 17 year olds used their beds.
The risks from sunbeds couldn't be clearer. So why did we find so many gyms ignoring them? And what's more, although they've all got different policies for under 18s they all agree they wouldn't let under 16s on their beds. But some did.
We went undercover again, this time sending a 15 year old to the top five gyms. Again, Esporta and Virgin Active wouldn't let them near their sunbeds. But two out of five branches of LA Fitness did despite their over-18 policies, as did two of five Bannatynes clubs. Three of them checked the age and she was refused. But the other two allowed the 15 year old to use a sun bed. She did have to fill out a form saying she was over 16. But on a separate form she gave them her date of birth making clear she wasn't. And nobody checked.
But again it was Fitness First who fared worst. Four out of the five branches visited let our 15 year old on their sunbeds.
Even Fitness First's own medical adviser is critical of sun beds. Last July, Dr Hilary Jones told GMTV viewers "Certainly for under-18s we know it's very harmful and probably should be banned in that age group. But I think we need health warnings in these salons, we need to close the ones that are unstaffed, we need to close the coin-operated salons, and we need health warnings to say 'look you are taking a risk with your health".
Nina Goad from the British Association of Dermatologists told us, "I think this investigation definitely raises the question of whether some companies are putting profits above the health of their clients. We're already putting pressure on the government to introduce legislation. As a result of seeing this footage we would actually be asking them whether it's appropriate to have sunbeds in gyms at all."
Fitness First has told us:
"Fitness First regards the health and safety of its members as a top priority. Although we have a comprehensive policy in place regarding the safe use of sun beds we acknowledge that we may have fallen short of our own exacting standards. As of July this year, we have been reviewing our current operational procedures regarding customer screening and access to the sun bed facilities in the knowledge that the government of England is considering proposals to ban people under the age of 18 from using sun beds. As a result of your investigation, we have made the decision to bring the implementation of our new procedures forward, launching mid September.
Fitness First has operated a policy of access to sun bed facilities to all suitable users over the age of 16yrs. In July this year Fitness First restricted access to sun beds to over 18s only in Scotland, in line with the recent changes to Scottish law. From mid Sept, Fitness First will be operating a policy of non-admittance to all under 18s wishing to use the sunned facilities. This will be underpinned by improved operational procedures.
As members, Fitness First liaises directly with the Sunbed Association for ongoing advice on the risks and benefits associated with sunbed use. Fitness First also consults Dr Hilary Jones who says: "It is widely recognised that inappropriate and excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds or indeed natural sunlight can contribute to cancer. But equally so do other lifestyle choices such as drinking alcohol, smoking, taking certain medications, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and obesity, all of which can be positively influenced by regular gym membership. Ultraviolet radiation can however also have therapeutic medical benefits by correcting reduced Vitamin D levels (associated with rickets, depression and multiple sclerosis), by increasing levels of the so-called happy hormone serotonin (to enhance mood) and in the treatment of the common skin disorder psoriasis. Provided those using the sunbeds are aware of the relative risks, employ informed choice and use sunbeds in moderation there is no good reason to make them less available to those who make that personal choice.''
Bannatyne's Health Club has told us:
Bannatynes has always had a policy of not allowing under 16 year olds to use our sunbeds. As soon as Watchdog brought the COMARE (Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment) guidelines to the attention of senior management, Bannatynes introduced a ban on under 18 year olds using sunbeds.
COMARE does not recommend the removal of sunbeds from Health Clubs but says that the dangers of their use should be made clear to customers. This is something Bannatynes already does. Bannatynes believes that it is the abuse, not the use, of sunbeds that presents danger and has trained staff on hand at all times to ensure a safe environment, where customers can be educated about sunbeds.
Trained members of staff regulate use and have banned customers from sunbeds when appropriate. There are clear guidelines and warnings about the dangers of overuse at all Bannatynes clubs and the number of sunbeds in clubs has fallen recently, as Bannatynes encourages the use of Spray Tanning Booths as an alternative [last two years: 7 sunbeds removed, 27 Spray Tan Booths introduced]
The 15 year old girl signed disclaimer forms for use of sunbeds, stating she was over the age of 16. She ignored the safety warnings on the sunbeds, which state that no-one under the age of 16 is allowed to use them. She did complete a membership form, with a correct date of birth, at both clubs. This is an issue relating to membership, not sunbed use, but the membership is dated to start on 26.09.09, as per the girl's dated signature.
The COMARE report explains that definitive data on deaths from sunbed use is impossible to obtain due to the confounding effect of sun exposure. It goes on to estimate that sunbeds may account for up to 100 deaths per year. In a properly regulated and supervised environment, like the one provided by Bannatynes, this risk is reduced dramatically.
As part of its commitment to customer care and education, Bannatynes has banned sunbed use for under 18s. This will ensure that all sunbed use will be by adults making informed decisions and help to avoid any cases where underage people can access the sunbeds.
LA Fitness told us:
"From 3 August 2009 LA fitness stopped selling sunbed sessions to both members and guests who are under the age of 18. Customers aged 16-18 who had already booked sessions have to use these by 20 October 2009. We do have a clear age policy (you now have to be aged 18, it was previously 16) and we took this proactive step after guidance from the HSE and the Sunbed Association. We are clearly very concerned that a couple of our clubs have not followed our own strict guidelines. Re-training of these clubs (and a fresh briefing to all clubs) has now been undertaken with the aim of this bad practice not happening again. LA fitness reviews it's policy with regard to sunbed usage on an ongoing basis. We consider all the information we have available including customer choice, advice/guidance from the HSE and Sunbed Association to make informed decisions on this policy.When we feel we need to make changes to protect the interests and safety of our members we do so (a recent example being the increase in usage age from 16 to 18). We also adhere to our legal obligations and best practice by providing clear communication to members and guests on the safe use of sunbeds and age restrictions which are in place"
The Sunbed Association has told us:
Bannatynes, Esporta and Virgin Active are not members of The Sun Bed Association (TSA). However, Virgin Active have purchased the Sun Bed Association training programme for all their clubs. LA Fitness have membership for one club - Northwood. Fitness First have corporate membership for all their clubs. They have been in membership since February 2000. All TSA members operate to TSA's Code of Practice and demonstrate compliance through inspections of their premises. As with any trade association, membership of TSA is voluntary.
TSA has always had a minimum age restriction in its Code of Practice, currently no-one under 16 years not even with parental consent. There is no medical or scientific evidence (in terms of skin type) why 16 and 17 year olds should not use sunbeds and the recommendation of no-one under 18 years has come from a position of choice and responsibility. However, if governments introduce a legal ban on under 18s in England and Wales, which we believe will happen, TSA will not oppose it since the governments will opt for 18 years and not 16 years. TSA will of course amend its Code of Practice to no-one under 18 years to come into line with legal requirements. Since it is almost certain that a legal ban on under 18s will be introduced throughout the UK, TSA does not see sunbed use by under 18s as an issue. The reality is that tanning outlets in general do not have a significant number of customers aged 16 or 17 years and do not have children under 16 years trying to use their facilities.
What do you think - should sun beds carry an age restriction? Leave your comments below.
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I'm puzzled as to why someone would risk thier life to look like an oompalooma!
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I am a member of Esporta, and they are currently GIVING AWAY sunbed sessions as part of their reward scheme. It just doesn't seem right to me!
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I've got to say i would ban sunbeds all together as i was diagnosed with malignant melanoma 4 years ago, i now have a big dip (scar) in the front of my leg from where it was removed and get checked for new marks on my skin every 6 months.. I also regret using them in younger days as it really has aged my skin, if only i knew then what i know now!! Tracey.
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[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]Thank You for the fantastic coverage about sunbeds - it is brilliant that some health centres are taking proactive action to stop under 18s using sunbeds but we must have legislation that makes this compulsory everywhere - if you agree then please sign the current petition to the Prime Minister asking for action
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[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator][Personal details removed by Moderator]I am disgusted by Duncan Bannatyne's attitude. Just because, obviously, you can get melanoma from natural sunlight, or from genetic causes, it does not make sunbeds any less dangerous. It's like saying you can get lung cancer from asbestos, so why worry about cigarettes? I had a melanoma removed 2 years ago.It was not caused by sunbeds, but by being brought up in the sunshine. But that is irrelevant - sunbeds are dangerous and have to come with significant ratings. Skin cancer is ticking bomb in this country.
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Remarks such as '75% more risk of skin cancer' are meaningless. For instance if the usual rate was 4 per million and this was increased to 7 per million for those using sunbeds that would be a 75% increase in risk. But in real terms this would be miniscule and you would probably be at far greater risk of having a traffic accident going to and fro than suffering from the sun bed. Figures must be put into context. What are the real figures of cancer sufferers who use the sunbeds?
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Sun beds pose a risk! they should be banned from all places except sun bed tanning studio's, it comes down to putting vanity of how people feel and look over our health, make a clause then that you can't claim form the NHS for cancer help if you have used sun beds constantly.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Now................ Lets have the Truth Please...
Recent news stories claiming that scientists say tanning beds are “as dangerous as arsenic,” or comparing indoor tanning to smoking tobacco. These stories are inaccurate and misleading, and are based on a misunderstanding of the actual research.
What the news means:
• Tanning beds have been categorized as “Group 1” by a group of scientists in France. “Group 1” means there is evidence that the use of tanning beds can increase the risk of skin cancer.
• The information is not new at all: sunlight is in the same category as now tanning beds, and has been in that category since 1992!
• Since 1992, thousands of doctors have recommended moderate exposure to sunlight for a variety of health benefits. In fact, a lot of prominent Vitamin D experts are convinced that the benefits of sunlight outweigh the risks by far.
• Being in the “Group 1” category does not say anything about the size of the risk, just that there is any risk at all. Some things in the category are very dangerous, like arsenic and mustard gas. Other substances only carry a very small risk, like red wine, beer, and salted fish.
• News stories that say things like “tanning is as dangerous as arsenic” are flat-out wrong. The scientists have not made that kind of comparison at all, only reporters looking for a scary headline.
• The report itself has not been made available. All the news stories are working off of a press release, and no reporters have actually read the report!
• The IARC is a group of scientists that works with the United Nations. Their report is not a new study; it is a review of a paper from 2006, which itself was a review of 23 studies, some dating to the early 1980s. Those studies had a wide range of findings.
o Of the 23 studies:
- 5 were excluded for unusable data
- 6 had results suggesting that tanning beds actually reduce the risk
of skin cancer!
- 16 had results within the margin of error – In an election experts
will say that you shouldn’t trust a poll that shows one candidate
ahead by 1%, with a margin of error of 5%.
• Some news stories are including a misleading statistic: that tanning beds increase the risk of melanoma by 75%. This number comes from a study with questionable methods. The study’s authors admit that they did not adjust for factors like outside sun exposure and sun sensitivity. Even if the study is accurate, it does not mean that 75% of tanning bed users will get melanoma, it means that their relative risk is higher. Because the issue is relative risk, when the original risk is very small, a percentage increase that looks big actually translates into a very small added risk. To use another example, your annual risk of a fatal car accident is about 0.013%. If that risk were increased by 75%, it would be 0.023%, or about 1 in 4,500. This to put that percentage number into perspective!
I hope the above points will help in explaining the background to the watchdog report.....I love it when the Media take everything out of context.....
Source: European Sunlight Association, -Brussels Office-, Chaussée de Cjarleroi 51, 1471 Loupoigne, Belgium
Phone: +32-67-670114, Fax: +32-67-648048
Email: europeansunlight@skynet.be
Website: www.europeansunlight.eu
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I work for Nuffield Health and they removed all their sunbeds over 15months ago. As it was a contradiction to have health centrea that lets you use a machines that can seriously affect your health.
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yes of course sunbeds should have an age restriction. howver, as they don't have one at present it is both meaningless and unfair to crticise those extablishments which allow tanning to young people. it is furthermore rather sensationalist and unethical to implicate duncan ballantyne in this debate simply because he has a public profile. poor show, and shoddy reporting styles, watchdog!
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sunbeds do have positive health benefits if used sensibly.
should we also ban sunlight?
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What is wrong with being your WHITE, your natural colour?? We were in Spain for 2 weeks and myself and my children came back the same shade of 'white' as when we went and I couldnt get over the people that said why didnt we go in the sun. We had but were covered totally with factor 50!! WHITE IS GOOD, be yourself!!!!
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We need to know all the evidence. So much has been susidised by the sunscreen companies and their obvious benefits of using their products but I agree, you must never burn in the sun or on a sunbed. If you are fair skinned you should also, not use sunbeds. Its the same most things in life, use in moderation but worst of all is to avoid sunlight/sunbeds.as the health benefits far outweight the risks!
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All we ever seem to hear is all the negative effects sunbeds are SUPPOSED to have on our health.All i would like to see is some balanced reporting which also includes the health benefits that uv light, wether from natural sunlight or sunbeds gives us.There is believe it or not two sides to every story!!!
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When will the media start giving fair and balanced coverage about sunbeds? It's particularly irresponsible of the BBC to keep quoting statistics as fact without checking their validity - surely they've heard of spin! Tonight's report was particularly sensationalist and one-sided - the health clubs were doing nothing wrong or illegal??? Is this to be a regular departure from the more balanced approach one should expect from a BBC consumer affairs programme? If anyone can show me any scientific or medical evidence that proves responsible sunbed use causes skin cancer - I'll stop using them but I've been following this for some years quite carefully and I haven't seen anything - in fact quite the opposite. And what about the vitamin D issue - that's a whole other side to the story that never gets a mention - what's the agenda here guys?
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I cannot understand why anyone would use these & risk their health.
They should be banned!!!
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Many years ago my husband and I were taken aback when viewing a house as we went into a dark room and could see something huge which looked like a coffin. 'oh it's okay' said the guy showing us round
'it's my sunbed' - seems our first impression wasn't that wrong.Now that it is realised that sunbeds increase the risk of cancer they should not be available to use.
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The only person to come out of this production with any credibility is the young actress Melanie Suffield. Duncan Bannatyne looked and sounded completely ignorant - he talks about the COMARE Report - has he read it??? Only the first paragraph says :- Skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the UK, with over 10,400 malignant melanoma cases and at least 81,500 non-melanoma skin cancers recorded in 2006. Intermittent high dose rate UV radiation exposure is associated with increased risk of melanoma at all ages of life. Can he not read properly?
I am incensed by this programme for reasons best left unsaid, suffice to say, I won't ever watch it again and if I could avoid having to pay my licence fee, I would.
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Ok, so you can join the armed forces, get married and start smoking but soon you will not be able to go on a sun bed if you are under 18? Like a lot of government regulations it makes sense......not
I run a sun bed salon and have been turning away under 16's for years.We have strict guidelines regarding the use of our sun beds and are not afraid to turn customers away if they are not happy with our restrictions. I would be happy to impose the under 18 age limit if it was based on accurate research.
Ufortunately there has been a huge press mele recently quoting the latest research that comes out on a daily basis. No one is informed as to how the research is carried out and by whom. How do we know that it is accurate and unbiased?
It is important to stress that the link between possible skin cancer and sun beds is based on misuse and burning. There is no evidence that links moderate use.
Interestingly enough, there is now a large body of research that is saying that we should increase our intake of ultra violet light either by the sun or moderate use of sun beds due to a increasing problem with vitamin D deficiency. This deficiency is linked to at least 17 cancers, one of which ironically is skin cancer.
I am very disapointed that Watchdog has jumped on the bandwagon of knee jerk journalism and not presented its viewers with a balanced argument. It was a great opportunuty to inform viewers on how to tan respobsably both on sun beds and in the sun and how to find a responsible tanning establishment.
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I posted a blog over 12 hours ago - why is it still awaiting moderation????????????
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Why were the benefits of sun beds not mentioned? Most people who work in the UK, especially during the winter months suffer from SAD and this can lead to depression and other health issues. Another health issue is Vitamin D deficiency, this also leads to a lot of different health issues. Many people turn to the use of sun beds including non white people to help with their medical conditions.
I know the question is “should under 18’s use sun beds” – well in this day an age, I believe they can make up their own minds, as they are young adults and as we all know, these so called children we are trying to protect are having their own children from the age of 11 and also drinking alcohol and smoking at the age of 12. We need the SUN to live and keep us well, if people do not get enough sun due to their working environment or type of lifestyle and wish to use a sun beds, it is their choice!
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I am a member of Fitness First and a infrequent user of sunbeds in the past. Following diagnosis of a melanoma on my back approx 2 years ago I now stay out of the sun and use fake/ spray tans when I want some colour. About a year ago I got fed up of seeing the Fitness First advertisement for bargain sunbed sessions on their internal tv network. I emailed them pointing out that it was irresponsible to advertise in what is supposed to be a health club and to claim that sunbeds are more effective after a work out - well they would be wouldn't they! I also pointed out that I found it difficult to believe that a prmoninent TV doc advocated the use of and their advertising on the benefits of having a tan by using a sunbed.
Did I get a reply? - no. Was I surprised - I guess not - needless to say they are still advertising the benefits of using sunbeds and promoting free minutes whenever they can.
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The usual predictable brainwashing from the propaganda mouthpiece of organised medicine: the BBC. More bad science propagated by the usual cabal of vested interests.
Many of the cancers in this country would probably have been avoided if the subjects had had regular exposure to more sunlight or failing that: sunbeds, in order to boost vitamin D levels - now known to have myriad beneficial effects on human health. Anne Robinson - look for the cause of your melanoma to the fact that you were once an alcoholic. Apart from the damage to the liver caused by your alcoholism, your diet was probably not too good either at that time. According to Gerson no one ever gets cancer before their liver function is impaired.
File this one with all the other official medical myths:
1. "We need refined sugar for energy". Thank you dieticians. Of course you are "scientific" so you must be right. No we DO NOT need refined sugar, jams or white flour. Without them there would be no need for dentists. No need for dentists to wreck our teeth with mercury amalgam. No need for root canal treatment leading to arthritis, heart disease etc. etc. Less work (and therefore less money) for dentists, doctors , drug companies and hospital administrators. Am I a lunatic conspiracy theorist? I don't think so.
2. "Drugs and surgery are the only therapies we need. Diet has little effect on health. Nutrition has no effect on cancer."
3. "Gluten intolerance is extremely rare - only alternative quacks peddle the idea that it is common"
4. "We should all be obsessed with our cholesterol levels. Everyone over the age of 50 should be taking statins to lower their cholesterol levels. Never mind the terrible damage they do to the heart and liver"
5. "If you have heart problems you should not be eating butter but margarine". (Butter contains K2, vitamins a and d, all of which strengthen the heart. Margarine is essentially a plastic. Leave some outside - it will never go green. Why? Because no micro-organisms can live in it.
Etc. etc. etc.
By the way, I have no vested interest. I am just a health nut who can think for himself. I visit a tanning salon 3 times a week to make sure my vitamin d levels are adequate.
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I was a regular viewer of Watchdog, but, no more. The new format is another example of the downward spiral of the BBC. Last nights programme contained an issue that I am extremely familiar with, skin cancer. Sunshine and or sunbeds are not the main cause of the most dangerous form of skin cancer, according to researchers, who say some warnings about the perils of sunbathing are scaring people unnecessarily. Dr Veronique Bataille, a researcher at King’s College, London, and dermatologist at West Hertfordshire NHS Trust, argues that we have overemphasised the risk of sun exposure. Bataille said: “As a dermatologist working in the melanoma field for nearly 20 years, I feel quite strongly that there is always an overemphasis on sunshine. You often read that nearly all melanomas are caused by sunshine – which is not supported by the evidence. The more research we do, the more we realise that sunshine is a small part of the puzzle.
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Sunbeds should be age restricted. In fact the organisations should be open and honest in its use of the reports and facts.
Open, Honest, and free of censorship. ;-)
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I starting using tanning lamps way back in the 70's & bought my first sun bed when they come on the market, I use it regularly to this day. It makes me feel good & gives my skin a healthy glow & quite frankly wouldn't be without it. I am sure that there are many others like me out there so do us all a favour & stop scare mongering - There is no concrete proof that sun beds cause skin cancer & it should be left upto the individual like smoking & drinking which can damage your health but there again, they may not!!!
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Well done Watchdog for highlighting the serious dangers of sunbeds. As someone who was diagnosed with a malignant melonama a couple of years ago I would definately support any campaign to impose an age limit on their use, or better still get them banned altogether. I used sunbeds during the mid 1980's when a tan was considered fashionable but the dangers were not known but now, 20 years later, I have a shocking deep round scar the size of a coffee mug rim on my calf to show for it. I am always willing to show this in my quest to deter anyone from using sunbeds. However, whilst magazines and certain celebrities are promoting a tan as being a beautiful thing I think young people will ignore the warnings.
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