Are you guilty of using the sunbeds to give yourself that summer glow before a night out or to give you that little boost of confidence that you think you're lacking?
What once started off as a monthly regime has now become an everyday ritual- Is the obsession of looking tanned and fresh-faced turning into a horrid addiction?
It's time for a reality check ladies and banish the beds once and for all!
Although many admit to being fully aware of the risks of using sunbeds, it still doesn't stop you lot from having a 'quick 6 mins' working on your tan because you're feeling 'a bit pale'.
If you believe that you're completely fine because you've only used them 'that one time' you are still at risk of cancer as your chances increase from your first use.
Using a sunbed once a month or more could increase the risk of skin cancer by 50%. Working on your tan from a young age has major consequences- using a sunbed for the first time before the age of 35 increases the risk of skin cancer by 59%.
St Moriz recently teamed up with Liverpool City Council to launch 'The Look To Die For' campaign to reduce the number of teenage girls using sunbeds in the city.
The idea was to raise awareness of the dangers of sunbeds, whilst also improving teenage girls' confidence and skills using self-tan as an alternative.
Last month, twins Lucy and Sam Simm, 29, from Morecombe, appeared on This Morning to discuss their addiction to sunbeds. Despite being diagnosed with skin cancer, Lucy 'couldn't wait' to get back on the beds as soon as she had recovered from an operation to remove a cancerous mole on her leg.
Since the show, it seems Lucy has experienced a light bulb moment and has re-evaluated her use of sunbeds.
“Following my appearance on This Morning to discuss my experience with sunbeds and skin cancer, St. Moriz put me in touch with their tanning expert Barbara. They wanted to show me that there was a safer option out there, as despite having had skin cancer I was still finding myself drawn to sunbeds.
"Before my St. Moriz tan I didn’t feel like fake tan could give me the same natural-looking results. However, I was over the moon with my St. Moriz results! It was absolutely perfect, natural-looking and streak-free – it made me feel like me again. I couldn’t take the smile off my face! Barbara was so kind and inspirational that I’m now looking in to a spray tan course with my local Sally’s. Something good has come out of something bad and I’m excited to start my new tanning journey.”
St. Moriz's tanbassador, Barbara, met with the girls to discuss safe tanning and treated them to an expert spray tan. "When I heard about Lucy's story, it was shocking but very common that young girls are going on sunbeds several times a week without being aware of the harm, damage and health risks associated. I got in contact with Lucy and we discussed the many safe ways to tan and I gave her tips and advice and she is now a St.Moriz fake tan fan.
"Fake tanning has always been a passion of mine and with the effect it can create in a safe way, I am making it my ambition to educate girls up and down the country and move them away from sunbeds. That way they can tan safely to avoid sun damage and premature ageing. I just only hope that Lucy is the first of many and with her now taking a spray tanning course to educate her friends and family about safe tanning, it is a really positive step forward."
The campaign also saw St Moriz share their expertise to show girls how they can get the look that they aspire to, without the health risk. The campaign is also being supported by Cancer Research UK and the local NHS in Liverpool.
Dr Paula Grey, Director of Public Health at Liverpool City Council commented:"The campaign acknowledges that teenage girls in the city like to look tanned and focuses on educating them about the risk of using sunbeds, whilst also improving their confidence and skills in using fake tan. The campaign is being supported by fake tan brand St. Moriz who are sharing their expertise to show girls in the city how they can get the 'look' without the health risk."
Dawn McDaid, St. Moriz Marketing Director added: “We were very proud to be able to support the The Look To Die For Campaign, a joint initiative between Liverpool City Council, Cancer Research UK and St. Moriz to encourage young people to stop using sunbeds. With malignant melanoma being the fastest growing cancer in 15-34 year olds in the UK, we felt it was so important to get the message out there that there are safer and equally affordable options available to get a salon-quality stunning tan.
"St. Moriz is the UK and Ireland's best-selling fake tan brand. By giving the campaign a recognisable face with the St. Moriz brand, we were able to educate girls about the risk of using sunbeds and offer them a safe alternative. We were keen to spread the message that the only safe tan is a fake tan. Also, with St. Moriz they needn't worry about an unnatural look, the days of streaky tans are long gone. We invest in the latest innovation and tanning technology, so with every application of St. Moriz you can be assured you will have a salon-quality, stunning tan.
"The St. Moriz team were delighted to be able to take part in events last year which took place in and around Liverpool throughout August and September. The objective was to demonstrate tanning techniques, share insider tanning "secrets" and offering one-to-one consultations. All with the aim of getting teenage girls to 'Bin the Beds' and start using fake tan to get their desired look without the health risks."
Remember ladies- Tans fade, but the damage from a sunbed can remain!
Moles Checklist:
A good way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is to use the ABCDE checklist:
A stands for asymmetrical: Melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape.
B stands for border: Unlike a normal mole, melanomas have a notched or ragged border.
C stands for colours: Melanomas will be a mix of two or more colours.
D stands for diameter: Unlike most moles, melanomas are larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter.
E stands for enlargement or evolution: A mole that changes characteristics and size over time is more likely to be a melanoma.
(Information taken from www.nhs.uk)
St. Moriz are also supporting the campaign by sharing their advice and tips for using fake tan through online channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.
Tagged in Health fake tan Skin Cancer Safety