KEY POINTS:
Cancer specialists are alarmed at the increasing use of solariums to get a tan despite the threat of skin cancer.
The Cancer Society is investigating the growth of solariums in New Zealand after a dramatic rise in the number in use in Australia.
New figures in the Australian New Zealand Journal of Public Health show the number of solariums in Australia increased four-fold between 1996 and 2006.
Now the Cancer Society has asked researchers from Otago University to track the growth of solariums in New Zealand over the past 15 years.
The society's skin cancer prevention adviser, Judith Galtry, said yesterday that some users assumed wrongly that solariums were a safer alternative to the sun, when in fact the UV radiation from solariums was five times stronger.
"Skin cancer is New Zealand's most common cancer, with between 45,000 and 75,000 new cases, and over 300 deaths, every year," she said.
"We are particularly worried about the dangers to young New Zealanders, as international research now shows the risk of melanoma increases by a massive 75 per cent if people use solariums before the age of 35."
Dr Galtry said health professionals throughout Australasia agreed tighter controls were urgently needed.
"The solarium industry currently regulates itself under a voluntary code of practice that many feel is not working."
She said getting teenagers and adults to change their behaviour to protect themselves from UV radiation was a challenge.
A sting operation conducted last year by the Consumers' Institute showed poor compliance with the voluntary code of practice, particularly in restricting access to those under 18 years of age.
The Cancer Society in New Zealand and the Cancer Council in Australia had recently updated their position statement on solarium use to include all the recent findings.
They urged people to avoid artificial UV radiation, and recommended the Government introduce tighter controls, including prohibiting the use of solariums by people younger than 18.
The Cancer Council of Australia, on its website said:
* UV radiation plays an important role in the development of skin cancer, cataracts and other eye conditions, and suppresses the immune system.
* Cumulative UV radiation also results in premature skin ageing.
Given the health risks associated with the use of solariums, the Cancer Council Australia, the Cancer Society of New Zealand and the Australasian College of Dermatologists said they did not recommend the use of artificial UV radiation tanning and solariums for cosmetic purposes.
Those who have fair skin, which always burns and never tans in the sun, were at increased risk of skin cancer.
It was recommended that such people not be allowed to use a solarium, the website said.
- NZPA
