Videos receiving millions of views have been found on TikTok promoting sunbeds despite the risks associated with skin cancer. Young people are being urged by experts to use "trusted sources" to learn about the risks associated with tanning as skin cancer cases reach record levels. Susanna Daniels, the chief executive of charity Melanoma Focus, said that she believes "the power of influencers" on TikTok "has a part to play" in young people being encouraged to use sunbeds.
A survey carried out by Melanoma Focus in May showed that 28 per cent of UK adults and 43 per cent of 18 to 25-year-olds use sunbeds, and that only 52 per cent of people in that age group were aware that this increases the risk of skin cancer. Some 23 per cent of those surveyed believe that sunbed use decreased the risk of skin cancer. Melanoma Focus has also said that it has found that TikTok contains 51.
3 million posts with the hashtag #sunbedselfies, and 20.5 million with the hashtag #sunbedaddiction. Young people live in a society where a bronzed tan is the desirable beauty standard, but at what cost? This desired look has been accelerated by growing trends across social media.
86% of #melanoma cases are preventable by staying safe in the sun & avoiding #sunbeds. pic.twitter.
com/c24jLrnF0U — Melanoma Focus UK (@focusonmelanoma) May 21, 2024 This month it was revealed that melanoma skin cancer cases are at an all-time high, with 20,800 people expected to be diagnosed this year in the UK, according to res.
