More than a third of Londoners are using sun beds amid rising skin cancer rates, according to a new survey.
Data released by the charity Melanoma Focus claimed that 35 per cent of adults in London say they use sunbeds, the second highest figure of any region in England and 7 per cent above the national average.
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, kills 2,300 people in the UK each year.
Sunbeds emit ultraviolet radiation, which damages the DNA of skin cells and leads to genetic mutations that can cause the growth of cancerous cells. Around 85 per cent of melanoma cases are caused by exposure to too much ultraviolet radiation, according to Skin Cancer UK.
The survey found that more than a fifth of people (21 per cent) in the capital falsely believe that sunbed use decreases the risk of skin cancer, despite overwhelming medical evidence.
In 2009, the World Health Organisation classified ultraviolet light emitted from tanning beds as carcinogenic and placed artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation alongside tobacco and asbestos in the highest category of carcinogen.
Over the last decade, melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have increased by around a third (32 per cent) in the UK and the charity estimates that, across the country, sunbeds cause about 440 melanomas and around 100 deaths each year.
Previous studies have found that first exposure to indoor tanning before the age of 35 is associated with a 75 per cent greater risk of developing skin cancer.
Susanna Daniels, CEO of Melanoma Focus, said: "The proliferation of sunbed use across the UK is alarmingly high and it’s shocking that so many people don’t realise how dangerous they are.
“Melanoma skin cancer rates are rising in the UK and it’s an increasingly serious health concern. The good news is that 86 per cent of melanomas are preventable by avoiding ultraviolet radiation, which comes from the sun or from sunbeds.
“We strongly advise against using sunbeds in order to protect your skin and reduce your chances of being diagnosed with melanoma or other skin cancers.”
Earlier this month, Skin Cancer UK called for the Government to force tanning salons to carry graphic warning signs similar to those found on cigarette packets to warn customers about the dangers of using sunbeds.
The support group’s chief executive Gill Nuttall said sunbeds are banned in “many countries”, including Australia and Brazil, “yet in the UK we don’t even warn people about the potential danger”.
