Sunbed use

[Tevion10]

Posting here for traffic.
My ds aged 18 blonde fair skinned wants to get some colour for his holiday in July and also suffers from. Psoriasis.
He is a novice to sunbeds and I'm just looking for advice from anybody who uses them.
Does he need to wear suncream goggles etc and how long should he spend on them.

I can't add anything that others haven't. I won't go near them, they're very dangerous and I'm surprised people still use them.

I had malignant melanoma when I was 22. Used to go on sunbeds. I never go in the sun any more, wear factor 50, stay in the shade etc. That experience has meant that the thought of an 18 year old using one makes me feel sick to my stomach and I think who cares about psoriasis in the scheme of life and death but I don’t think you can appreciate that feeling in a way cos it always feels like it’s not us that these things happen to. I really hope your son doesn’t use one, I just don’t think it’s worth it.

I remember a friend at school using a special type on sunbed at the doctors (dermatologist) for psoriasis, maybe you could look into that.

He shouldn't.

It's sunny now. Tell him to put factor 30 on (high, but will let a little colour through) and stay out for an hour, then govin for a bit.

Sunbeds can be very dangerous and to some, can be addictive.

I am going against the idea to be honest

Praise the Lord

There are a lot of things your son can try to treat psoriasis that can also help.
So firstly, going gluten free.
Also eliminating all pork products.
Avoiding alcohol (this one won’t be too popular!)
Eliminating caffeine.
Taking a daily green smoothie. (Not like an innocent type , a hand made one)
Bathing in mineral salts
Using olive oil daily all over
Taking a combined calcium and vit d tablet
Taking spirulina and kale supplements
Using sanex products in the shower
Drinking wiilow brand water or similar
I have loads more but these ones help

Oh and sudocrem too
Obviously are things you could try along with what the doctor has prescribed.
But make sure what you have prescribed is the best for your son.

I'm not condoning the personal insults flying about here. Way too harsh. It's easy to give a response without personal attacks.

OP, you may not have been expecting such a wave of anti-sunbed folk, but the world's changed and people are more clued-up about things like UV exposure than we used to be.

From the description of your son, despite the psoriasis, I agree with other PPs and medical advice these days and just give the sunbeds a swerve.

I'm so white I'm almost see-through. So I always have a fake tan before holiday and also on the SPF.

Maybe do some research on the dangers of sunbeds together, I personally don't think it's a risk worth taking.

Hope he has a lovely holiday.

OP I know it's all been said already, but just wanted to show you the results of a tiny basal cell carcinoma I recently had removed from my nose, and a skin graft from my neck. It is slowly healing but I will always have a scar and it was not a nice procedure to go through.

I've never used a sun bed but have very fair skin and suspect it is from sun exposure as a child combined with spending years working outside. I understand your son wanting help for his psoriasis but please don't replace one skin condition with another potentially more deadly one in years to come.

I'm a professional in this field. And what @TrixieFranklin said is absolutely true. You need a wavelength of 311nm (in the UVB part of the spectrum) to get the best balance between clearance and minimising risk.
Commercial sunbeds are heavily weighted to the UVA and so are poor at clearance as they have tiny amounts of 311nm.
Your best bet is a referral to a photo dermatology dept. Then it will be strictly controlled doses. Do it self treat at the same time. I've seen patients admitted with burns after 'topping up' in commercial salons following NHS treatment.

Do *not self treat

Please try and persuade him not to. I used sun beds in my late teens. A few years ago I had skin cancer- the most dangerous kind, but I feel incredibly lucky that it was caught early before it spread. It's really not worth the risk.

Thanks to all the posters who have advised without insulting me some really useful information given to me.

Please don’t allow your son to use sunbeds. With his skin type he’s at even more risk of skin cancer.

I used sunbeds for a while in my 20’s, am sallow skinned so thought I was fine 🤦🏽‍♀️ I had to have a mole cut out my back a few years ago and have another couple of dodgy looking ones I’ll probably have to have removed as well. I’ve got quite a big scar from the first mole removal so no doubly will end up with more.

Honestly, it’s not worth it.

Thanks to all the posters who have advised without insulting me some really useful information given to me

Ignore the insults - there are a lot of keyboard warriors on mumsnet who obviously just come on here to write comments of a cheeky, insulting and quite bullying nature. Complete saddos with nothing better to do with their time, OP. Mumsnet is supposed to be a support network. Well that’s what I thought anyway.
X

There's obviously a majority who realise the extent of danger sunbeds cause and are amazed at how others are unaware of this. However, I've referred many young sunbed users with suspicious legions who are fully aware of the risks (it won't happen to me) but also those who live in areas with many tanning salons. They only see the lovely tans so many of their friends have, cancers or pre cancerous conditions are far from their minds. It can be very difficult to really rationalise the risks despite the amount of information avaliable.

OP all I can advise is to offer him a spray tan and encourage him to use a high spf. He may well completely ignore you but there is no way to safely use a tanning bed, sorry.

As for those recommending them as treatment for psoriasis, please stop. As some have previously pointed out a prescribed UV light is very different.

Unfortunately non of the comments are scaremongering, just lacking in politeness!
I would send a cancer research link to your son and try and point out a few sunbeds to fit in on holiday isn't worth the lifelong risk. Nb , i used sunbeds before my wedding and unfortunately have had bcc 's removed despite otherwise being sunsafe
.
www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/sunbeds-and-cancer

In a different country (we are inundated with skin cancer) where solariums etc have been banned for the last 4 years.

If Australians think something is dangerous, I’m inclined to stay well clear

@YesimstillwatchingNetflix

What’s with the snide comment? Why was that necessary?

Some people can't help themselves pyee.
Admittedly I posted on here having not read a thing about sunbeds.
I have never used one and I hate the sun heat etc.
I have since coming on here read up on them and used all the links sent me and I am surprised that they appear to be as unsafe as the Internet is saying. I guess I would have been better looking on the Internet instead of using mumsnet but there was no need for posters to call me troll, idiot, stupid etc but hey you live and learn.