Burning for a Sun Tan

Almost 50% of Brits got sunburned this summer in the name of beauty and half of those said they would do it again to get a tan.

The stats come from the latest survey conducted by Superdrug and Cancer Research UK, revealing the damaging lengths that people go to to achieve a ‘perfect’ tan.

Peter Beard, skin specialist at SkinGenesis said: “These results are really quite shocking. It is no secret that serious skin cancers are on the rise, yet more and more people are risking their health in the name of vanity.

“A tan, i.e. a darkening of the skin, is caused by the body’s production of melanin, which is a natural reaction to protect the skin against harmful UV rays. Although there is no such thing as ‘a healthy tan’, as it is simply evidence of skin damage, people do not have to burn their skin in order to achieve a healthy glow.”

To avoid literally burning for a tan, SkinGenesis’ Safety in the Sun campaign aims to educate people about the dangers of staying in the sun for too long and promotes the enjoyment of the summer weather whilst taking sensible precautions and following simple sun protection advice.

Sunbed ‘addicts’ increase ageing and cancer risk

Around one third of sunbed users are addicted to their artificial tanning effects, researchers in New York have found, and SkinGenesis predicts that the number of ‘addicts’ is set to rise as people seek out the perfect tan.

Gillian MacPherson, Top Model UK Winner and SkinGenesis client

Researchers at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found that those who became addicted to sunbeds were also more at risk of suffering from anxiety and over-indulging in alcohol and drugs. By tackling these underlying problems and addictions it would be possible to educate and encourage people to quit using them, cut their skin cancer risk and enjoy the natural sun safely.

As Summer draws nearer we at SkinGenesis can only foresee more and more people trying to get that tan top-up ahead of the summer holidays, however we are urging people not to use sunbeds or over-expose themselves to hardful UVA and UVB rays from the sun. Use fake tan or enjoy being an English Rose!

Gillian MacPherson, 49 and a classic model from Surrey is currently undergoing some corrective anti ageing treatments at SkinGenesis in Chester. She said: “I grew up in South Africa and in those days we really did not know the damage that the sun can do to skin so we used to stay out in the sun without any protection and as teenagers we even used to tan with cooking oil! Unfortunately that damage is showing itself now, years later.  Obviously now I never go in the sun without protecting my skin with a high factor sunscreen, hat, sunglasses!”

People are generally well-educated about the harmful effects of the sun today and sun protection advice has never been more straightforward and easy to follow.

• Use sun protection factor 30+ when out in the sun, and reapply regularly throughout the day
• Protect the delicate skin on the face and neck by wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses
• Stay out of direct sunlight between the hours of 11am and 3pm, as this is when you are most at risk of burning
• Do not use sunbeds. At all.

For more sun protection advice, or to take advantage of a free expert skin analysis in Leeds, Manchester or Chester, visit the skin specialists at SkinGenesis, who will analyse the sun damage already done and advise on how to restore the skin’s youthfulness through the best anti-ageing treatments.

www.skingenesis.co.uk