Teenage Cancer Trust and BBC tackle sunbed misinformaton

Tackling sunbed misinformation 

New research from Teenage Cancer Trust has found that 18 to 34s are the highest users of sunbeds in the UK (48%), with the top reason for using them during the winter (38%) being the hope that they will provide them with a ‘vitamin D boost’.     

Almost a third (32%) said they hoped sunbed use would improve their mood during the darker months.      

However, the idea that you can combat vitamin D deficiency with sunbed use is a dangerous misconception, and there is no scientific evidence to suggest they can improve mood either.  

Teenage Cancer Trust advise people not to use sunbeds because they are carcinogenic (have the potential to cause cancer) like tobacco and asbestos. 

For younger people, using a sunbed before the age of 35 is associated with a 59% increased risk of developing skin cancer.  

Read the BBC’s article on sunbed misinformation.

Rosie Vare, Health Information Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, said:   “We’re extremely concerned by ‘feel good winter routines’ promoted on social media, and marketing from some sunbed companies, that suggest sunbeds are a safe and effective way to solve vitamin D deficiency during the darker months and boost your mood.    

“Sunbeds mainly use UVA light, and it is UVB light that is needed for the skin to make vitamin D. Therefore, sunbeds don’t offer any significant vitamin D benefits – but they have been scientifically proven to cause cancer.    

“There are healthy alternatives to increase vitamin D levels and ways to feel better during the winter. We completely understand that cold and dark months can be hard for many people, but sunbeds aren’t the answer.”    

The NHS has advice on its website about how to combat vitamin D deficiency effectively - and advises against the use of sunbeds.    

People struggling with low mood or SAD (seasonal affective disorder) should talk to their GP to get the help and support they need.   

Skin cancer (typically melanoma) is one of the most common types of cancer in young people. Warning signs often include a new mole appearing anywhere on the body, or a change in an existing mole. 

Kassandra’s melanoma story

Kassandra Barker was diagnosed with melanoma in 2020 aged 22 and supported by Teenage Cancer Trust. The now 27-year-old, who used sunbeds one to two times a week in the winter, said:    “Sunbed shops are promoting themselves on TikTok and spreading misinformation such as boosting vitamin D because it’s their business. I think people can forget that they’re just trying to make money and they aren’t well regulated, so they get away with saying what they want.  

“My friends and I used to say that we were going to get a few minutes of vitamin D when we’d use a sunbed, but I don’t think we genuinely believed it. It was just something we said to convince ourselves that we were using them for a good reason. But if you do some research and use trusted sources you’ll see that the risks outweigh the benefits.   

“My main reason for using sunbeds was that I hated feeling pale, so I would use them to give myself a confidence boost. But after months of being in and out of hospital having cancer treatment, I can say that they are never worth it.”