Photos by V. Nazarian on flickr
It’s not very often I genuinely use the word ‘hate’, but on this occasion, I really do. Despite living in a molly-coddling society with everything & anything being good for us, bad for us (eat this or you will die– eat this and you’ll die) & generally scaring us, here the facts about sunbeds really speak for themselves. I’m not one to preach, but not only are sunbeds just as harmful as the sun itself, but often they’re even more dangerous– & that’s because people are using them far too regularly.
First of all, I’m clearly not an expert on skin & sunbeds, but a lot of people like the look sun-kissed look– & I’ll admit, I’m one of them. It’s not something I strive to get, but if it happens, I like it, & with my South African roots & slightly olive skin, as my boyfriend says, “it looks like you’re meant to be that colour.” So naturally on holiday, I catch the sun. I love the feeling of the warm sun on my skin, the waves lapping up against the rocks nearby & people having fun in the swimming pool, while listening to my music, reading a book & generally having a good time. If you’re in a hot country, the sun often something you can’t avoid, but I’m still safe about it, slapping on that SPF! That summer ‘glow’, to me, is a sign of a fantastic holiday & a conversation starter that comes around once a year (or more if you’re lucky!)
So why on earth you would choose to lay on a sunbed for 15mins a week, I will never know. Aside from the obvious adverse health effects, I can imagine it’s not fun laying there!
Here are the facts:
Sunbeds cause an estimated 100 deaths from melanoma every year in the UK
Using a sunbed once a month or more, can increase your risk of skin cancer by more than half
Sunbeds cause premature skin ageing– coarse, leathery & wrinkly!
As many as one in four men & women have used a sunbed
The intensity of some UV rays from sunbeds can be 10-15 times higher than that of the midday sun– it’s a myth that sunbeds are a safer alternative & have had harmful rays removed!
Facts from Cancer Research
The amount of teenagers & young people using sunbeds is on the rise & I just can’t understand it. I know one girl who spends £100 a month on sunbeds. £100! With that money, she could save for a fantastic holiday abroad that would be a whole lot more interesting & cultural, as well as safer if taking relevant precautions. A lot of girls I know are very pale & will endure the burning they get from the first few times on a sunbed, until their skin begins to turn brown (!) Often it looks very unnatural & because of their skin type, they don’t realise that their skin will just not go any darker, because it’s not meant to. I’m not saying you’re not entitled to darker skin, if you’re already pale, but I am anti-sunbeds.
There’s a lot more safe, fun, easy ways to get your summer glow:
Sunbathing the real way! Obviously it is not completely safe, but if you stay out of the midday sun, apply SPF (at least factor 15) half an hour before you go out, so it can start to work it’s magic, you’ll be a whole lot safer. Reapply regularly, especially after swimming, towelling or sweating– you don’t need to burn before you go brown!
Fake tan, baby. It can get a bit messy if you do it yourself, so go to a salon to get your St. Tropez fix! They’ll do all the messy stuff for you & will cover all the bits that you may have otherwise missed. Exfoliation before hand will make your fake bake last longer.
Bronzer! A lot can be done with bronzer & a good make-up brush. If you’re too scared to try it yourself, visit a local beauty counter.
Body lotions with a hint of tan– there are SO many of these on the market now, that you’ll be able to find one that suits your skin type & your needs. They gradually build a tan while keeping you moisturised, without the hassle of streaks, blotches & colour on your clothes, that fake tan may bring, as well as being a whole lot safer than sunbeds. My favourite is Garnier Summer Body, as it has a hint of Apricot & they also do a handy spray version.
Embrace your skin! Don’t get a tan at all. Pale can be interesting & beautiful– Dita Von Teese, Kelly Osbourne, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Agyness Deyn & our very own Virgo lovers, Nubby & Gala!
Get your beauty sleep in your bed, not on a sunbed!
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3 Comments
I used to work in a tanning salon.
But, I wasn’t an avid tanner. Actually, I wasn’t a tanner at all; I was an incredibly pasty employee. I always had to bite my tongue around the customers (even my co-workers) because their skin looked…um…atrocious? Leather doesn’t even begin to describe the skin of the woman who tanned every day in the beds for 20 minutes; I think elephant skin is more appropriate.
But, what do you think about the so called health benefits of tanning? The great MI, Michigan, US, that is, is the third cloudiest state in the US, and in the winter time it seems to be perpetually cloudy. People fall into a seasonal funk here, and apparently soaking in those faux UV rays helps relieve them of the SAD.
I often think I suffer from SAD myself– although this is purely self-diagnosis! And I agree, I am happier when the sun’s shining, but I don’t find I actually have to be out in it– I can be sitting inside & just feel better because the sun’s shining through my window. I don’t think you have to actually be soaking up the rays!
Thanks for your comment.
I couldn’t agree more – sunbeds, as writer Zoe Foster once described them, are just little ”cancer boxes”!