The dangers of sunbed exposure

The sunbed campaign has been running from August 25 and shall run through until October 3. It includes television advertising, as well as online advertisements and outdoor posters and billboards that can be seen throughout the city, especially at bus shelters.

The campaign comes after skin cancer has officially become the most common form of cancer in Northern Ireland today and actually makes up more than a quarter of cancer cases overall. Melanoma and non-melanoma are the two forms of skin cancer and while melanoma is the more serious form, it tends to account for fewer cases than the non-melanoma form.

The Public Health Agency are launching a new campaign to help educate people on the dangers of sunbed use.

Research has shown that over the last twenty to thirty years, melanoma cancer has been doubling every decade. Statistics show that between 2003 and 2007, an average of 8.7 per cent of every one hundred thousand people had malignant melanoma in Derry alone. Furthermore, figures show that 46.8 per cent of people in every one hundred thousand had cases of the cancer across the western areas of Northern Ireland.

The research has also shown that by using a sunbed just once a month, the risk of skin cancer doubles and that by using them before the age of thirty-five, the chances of getting melanoma skin cancer rises by up to seventy-five per cent.

Chief executive of the PHA, Dr Michael McBride, said: "Many people think that having a tan makes them look healthier and more attractive. Now we know that having a tan is actually a sign that our skin is trying to protect itself from UV damage rather than a sign of being healthy.

"Repeated exposure to UV light damages the DNA in skin cells, which increases the risk of skin cancer and makes skin age faster".

There are a number of short term health problems that can be developed from using sunbeds too such as burnt painful skin; skin dryness; bumpy, itchy skin and there are also the possibilities that eye irritations could occur.

The World Health Organisation states that there are also other long tern health issues that can be developed other than malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer including severe eye damage with a higher risk of cataracts and accelerated skin damage, including premature skin aging.

For more information on the dangers of sunbeds and skin cancer, log on to www.careinthesun.org or call the Ulster Cancer Foundation's helpline on 08007833339