The body representing UK sunbed salons is under fire for insisting that a tan protects against sunburn, a claim refuted by leading medical organizations. The Sunbed Association's website states: “No. Tanned skin protects against sunburn,” prompting Cancer Research UK and the British Association of Dermatologists to warn that tanning actually increases skin cancer risk.
Health Experts Reject Tanning Claims
Full Fact, a fact-checking organization, investigated the association's claims and consulted seven UK, European, and US health bodies. All rejected the idea that tanning is protective, emphasizing that a tan indicates skin damage and heightened cancer risk. Sophie Brooks of Cancer Research UK said: “A tan is a sign of skin damage and offers very little protection against the sun.” The British Association of Dermatologists added: “There is no safe way to get a tan.”
Scientific Consensus Contradicts Sunbed Association
The NHS, NICE, the European Commission, and US health agencies all highlight the dangers of tanning. The European Commission stated: “The only safe way to use sunbeds is not to use them at all.” Full Fact concluded that the association's website “contains incorrect health advice on tanning” and that “bad health information can be very dangerous.”
When pressed for evidence, the Sunbed Association cited scientific papers it claimed showed a tan could slightly protect against further UV damage. However, Full Fact and statistics expert Kevin McConway dismissed this evidence as unreliable and insufficient to overturn the consensus. Melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with 19,400 new cases and 2,600 deaths annually.
