SunSense UK’s nationwide tour highlights the dangers of intentional tanning

Sep 15 2015

SunSense UK warns that there is no such thing as a healthy tan, as study reveals that Brits continue to ignore the deadly risks.

• 70% mistakenly believe that there is a safe way to achieve a natural tan
• 60% would still sunbathe despite the risk of skin cancer and premature ageing
• 70% changed tanning attitude upon seeing hidden skin damage under an ultraviolet camera

Sunscreen brand, SunSense, has this week completed a nationwide tour of the UK with the aim of encouraging the public to think twice about tanning.

Utilising an ultraviolet camera, the ‘Dying for a Tan’ tour showed thousands of people the damage they may have  already caused to their skin through intentional tanning.

SunSense has produced a video to highlight the dangers of tanning, using powerful footage of the Dying for a Tan campaign and live reactions to the UV camera.

Over 1,200 participants were surveyed during the tour, revealing that more than half of people believe it is safer to build a base tan before going on holiday. Ten percent said tanning beds are a safe way to tan.

Despite being told that exposure to UV rays is a major cause of skin cancer, the survey also found that nearly two thirds would overlook the long-term health risks for the sake of a sun-kissed appearance.

SunSense is now urging people to remember that any change in skin colour may be a sign that the body is trying to repair damage caused by UV rays. Skin goes brown because it has had enough UV to trigger the melanin to develop. It triggers the melanin as a defence mechanism and it may be a sign that that you have had excessive UV. Excessive UV can cause premature ageing and may lead to skin cancer.
Using a UV camera, SunSense showed people the pigmentation changes that may have been  caused by sun damage that are hidden deep in the layers of skin and aren’t visible to the naked eye. Seeing the damage that has occurred had a positive impact on 70 percent of participants.

25 percent said that they would now avoid unnecessary sun exposure and 45 percent said that they might still sunbathe, but would use a higher factor sunscreen to protect their skin.

SunSense is the number one prescribed sunscreen in UK and number one in Australian pharmacy. It is a range of high factor sunscreens (SPF 50 / 50+) developed and manufactured in Australia, where standards are the most stringent in the world.

Dr Kerryn Greive PhD, Scientific Affairs Manager for SunSense comments:

There is no such thing as a healthy tan, but having one makes us feel good. Unfortunately, exposure to UV radiation from the sun and other sources, including sun beds, is a major cause of skin cancer.

Despite this, it is difficult to get people to understand how bad a tan can be. A lot of people don’t believe that the sun is strong enough in the UK to do any real damage and even if they do, they consider skin cancer as something that happens to other people, or something that may happen in the future. But it’s the tan we are getting today that may cause skin cancer.

Australia may be known as the skin cancer capital of the world, but it is also the first country in the world to see a reduction in skin cancer rates. This follows 30 years of public health campaigns which shows that if you are consistent with the message, you will see the benefit to people’s health.

Skin cancer is also a serious problem in the UK and we believe that there is a lot that the UK can learn from Australia. We hope that the Dying for a Tan tour has helped to get the message across and provide the British public with the facts they need to make an informed decision about their health.

In Australia, the advice is to combine a high factor sunscreen with sun-protective clothing, a hat that protects the face, head, neck and ears, shade and sunglasses. If people avoid unnecessary sun exposure and follow this advice when they are out and about, even on cloudy days, then the risk of premature ageing and skin cancer may be significantly reduced.

*1270 people were interviewed by SunSense UK over the course of the Dying for a Tan Tour 2015
 
Case Study: Melanie Williams

Melanie Williams (36), a mum of three and wife to David, was diagnosed with melanoma in July. Melanie is now supporting SunSense UK on its mission to get Britain to think twice about tanning.

Like many, Melanie admits to previously hitting the sunbeds and beaches in a bid to achieve a natural tan. This was until she was told that she had skin cancer in her thumb.

The young mum first noticed a black mark on her fingernail over five years ago, assuming it was a bruise that would soon go away. An avid user of nail polish, Melanie only became concerned as the mark began to grow and became painful. As the pain increased, she went to her doctor – Melanie was then referred to a specialist and was diagnosed with melanoma.

Melanie has since undergone surgery to remove the top half of her thumb and will also be treated with radiotherapy.

At a time when she could be excused for hiding away, Melanie is approaching her diagnosis with an amazing attitude. Using Facebook to share her story and warn others, Melanie posted a selfie of herself with thumb in plaster – the photo struck a chord with the public who has shared it over 120k times.

Melanie has now made it a priority to raise awareness of skin cancer. She commented:

I’ve come to terms with my diagnosis and now I want to direct my energy towards raising awareness of the dangers of tanning.

SunSense’s ‘Dying for a Tan’ campaign aims to educate people about the dangers of UV rays and encourage people to better protect their skin – they have been using a UV camera to try and show people the damage that they have already done to their skin. I hope that by continuing to share my experience, it will help others to see that the risk of skin cancer is very real - it isn’t just something that happens to other people or in the future – it happened to me and it happened in my thirties.

What could have been a negative time in my life has turned into something positive. I can’t change the past and I don’t want to dwell on it – my focus is on the future. The further into my treatment I get and the more messages of thanks and encouragement I receive, the more I want to get the message out there.