Storm, IMG, Next, Premier and Elite Model Management sign Cancer Research UK’s No Sunbed policy
Kudos to London’s top agencies Storm, IMG, Next, Premier Model Management and Elite Model Management London, among others, have agreed to a zero tolerance policy on sunbed use for all models on their books, or those wishing to join.
Personally I have been faking it for years. Why would any agency subject their models skin to sunbeds when carefully applied fake tans (my favourite has to be Sienna x -smells amazing like a splash of tropicalness 
and applies incredibly evenly if you haven’t tried it stock up now for spring!!!)
The move supports Cancer Research UK’s R UV UGLY? campaign, which highlights the damaging effects sunbed use has on the appearance and health of skin. ‘Supporting this campaign makes perfect sense as the wellbeing of our models is of paramount importance and we take a serious approach to their health.
We do not advocate the use of sunbeds for any of our models, and recommend that they choose safer options if they require a tan – spray tans are easy to apply and can last a week,’ comments Sarah Doukas, Managing Director of Storm Model Management. sk:n clinics are also supporting the initiative by offering the public two free skin assessments (usually £25 each) from now until the end of February.
Fantastic to see people at the top of the fashion industry taking responsibility. I would love to see this effort and solidarity can be matched in other areas of the fashion industry- body image, workforce manufacturing, use of fur to name just a few.
Just a few sunbed myths from- http://www.sunsmart.org.uk/advice-and-prevention/sunbeds/
Sunbed myths
People use sunbeds for all sorts of reasons. Here, we clear up a few of the most common myths.
Being tanned is not a sign of health
The simple fact that your skin has changed colour is a sign of damage. Without goggles, UV from sunbeds can also damage your eyes and lead to irritation, conjunctivitis and eye cancer.
Skin damage from sunbeds is just as big a problem for young people
You can’t always see the damage that UV does straight away as it builds up gradually. But every time you use a sunbed you are damaging your skin, making it look worse in the long run. Using sunbeds for the first time before the age of 35 increases the risk of developing melanoma skin cancer by 75%. Surgical treatment for skin cancer can result in serious scarring.
Spending more time on sunbeds will not make your tan look any better
We each have our own tanning limits. No matter how much UV you receive there comes a point when your skin won’t get any darker. Using sunbeds will make your skin coarse, leathery and wrinkled. Boosting your tan by having two sunbed sessions within 24 hours or after sunbathing is particularly harmful. Get your beauty sleep in your own bed, rather than on a sunbed.
Sunbed tanning is no safer than sun tanning
Sunbeds are not a ‘safe’ alternative to sun tanning. The main cause of skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Like the sun, sunbeds give off UVA and UVB rays. While sunburn is mostly caused by UVB, both types of UV can cause DNA damage, which can lead to skin cancer.
Modern sunbeds emit mostly UVA rays, but UVB rays can make up anywhere from 0.5-4% of their total output. These emissions can be comparable to the midday sun. And the amount of UVA given off can be 10-15 times higher than the midday sun. .
You cannot tan safely by building your sunbed tan gradually
Unfortunately, using sunscreen or limiting your time on a sunbed will not completely protect your skin from damage and ageing. In fact, short periods of intense, irregular UV exposure, like you get on a sunbed, are the fastest way to damage your skin.
A tan will not provide much protection from the sun on holiday
A tan offers very limited protection from sunlight or burning. At most, a sunbed tan is the equivalent to a sunscreen with SPF of just 2-4. Not enough to keep you safe in the sun. And if you don’t tan easily in the sun, you won’t tan easily on a sunbed.
You don’t need to burn to get a tan
Burning or going red under a sunbed is a sign that you have seriously harmed your skin. UV can penetrate deep into the skin’s layers and damage the DNA in our skin cells. Cells damaged by UV are at greater risk of mutating and then dividing uncontrollably, which is what happens in cancer.
You don’t need a sunbed to produce vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for good health. Our bodies make the vitamin when our skin is exposed to UV rays and it is also present in certain foods. You only need short exposures to the sun to produce adequate amounts. So you don’t need a sunbed to get your vitamins! For more information see our vitamin D page.
