A dermatologist has issued an urgent warning about the risk of cancer from using popular tanning devices.
Tanning beds are "very damaging to our skin", increasing the risk of cancer and causing premature ageing, says Dr Emma Wedgeworth.
The British Association of Dermatologists advises people not to use tanning beds, while the NHS says the devices "can be more dangerous than natural sunlight, because they use a concentrated source of ultraviolet radiation" and can cause skin cancer.
“Tanning devices work by emitting UVB and UVA rays in a more intense way than sunlight,” Wedgeworth said. “All UV rays suppress the immune system, so they can improve psoriasis and eczema, but they are very dangerous, and I would urge people not to treat these conditions with them.”
"It's much more dangerous (than the sun). The amount of UV rays and the way they hit the skin is much more intense than average sunlight, and spending 10 minutes in a tanning bed is equivalent to about two or three hours on the beach in the sun," she added.
It is worth noting that the continued use and lack of awareness of the risks among young people is a cause for concern, as studies have found that exposure to indoor tanning for the first time before the age of 35 is associated with a 75% increased risk of skin cancer.