Immunologist has prescribed sunbeds

[BigPawsBrown]

Been having difficulties with immune system and have also been found to have v low vit D (11). The immunologist I saw has prescribed sunbeds once/week and he says the benefit to me outweighs risk of skin cancer. However a close friend of mine has stage 4 melanoma and it's horrible and I am v anxious of using sunbeds.

WWYD?

It will be very carefully managed. They used to do sunned treatment in the nhs physio dept I attended and they were always running in and out and basically looking after the patients very well.

Sunbed not sunned. Autocorrect.

Hmm, he has just said to go to a spa!

A few sessions on a sunbed are unlikely to affect your chances of developing cancer. It's up to you what you feel ok with, but I'd go on and have the treatments.

I used to go on sunbeds a lot, as it was the only thing that eradicated my psoriasis. Now I can afford nice holidays so I don't have to.

I know it's a serious decision, but if he'd suggested you go and lie on a beach in Ibiza nobody would worry about the cancer risk.

I also used sunbeds 2years ago for very low vit d levels.3min session twice a week fot two weeks then once a week or 10 days for a couple of months. And I red haired and v v pale. Didnt get any tan etc but I felt better after just one session.
Alternatives are medication or trying to expose skin to daylight in this weather!
Dont worry abt a few 3 min sessions. The salon attendant had to look up the price as no one had ever asked for the shortest session, all have 10 to 30 mins several times a week. Now THAT is when you run risk of melanoma imo.

I am allergic to sunlight so I have a course of phototherapy - ie sunboith sessions - to desensitise me before the summer. Each exposure is less than 1 minute. It is not enough to make me tan (though I freckle a tiny bit). Yes, in theory it increases my risk if skin cancer, but the increase is so small that the benefits outweigh the risks.

I would say go for it.