A DEVASTATED guest on Embarrassing Bodies fought back tears after revealing an obsession with sunbeds ruined her life. The E4 health programme returned on Thursday night, with the doctors primed to treat more brave souls who are at the end of their tether. During the series finale, Dr Anand Patel met patient Nickie whose years […]
A DEVASTATED guest on Embarrassing Bodies fought back tears after revealing an obsession with sunbeds ruined her life.
The E4 health programme returned on Thursday night, with the doctors primed to treat more brave souls who are at the end of their tether.
During the series finale, Dr Anand Patel met patient Nickie whose years of sun-worshipping and skin cancer left her face two different shades.
Putting on a brave face, the 36-year-old childminder revealed that, after years of shunning sun cream, she was left fighting for her life.
“My condition is a real grating point for me because I know that, ultimately, it could’ve been avoided,” she told Dr Patel.
Revealing the extent of her fascination with sunbeds, Nickie became emotional, as she revealed: “I wasn’t a massive sunbather, so I used a lot of sunbeds.
READ MORE ON SKIN CANCER
“I’ve had skin cancer and, as a result, I’ve had some surgery.”
Natalie was left with a giant hole in her head after developing melanoma – the deadliest form of the disease.
Despite warnings from friends, she didn’t listen.
Delving into her skin cancer journey, Nickie needed urgent skin graft surgery.
There are an estimated 7,000 tanning salons in Britain, with some offering sessions from as little as 50p a minute.
Kids as young as EIGHT are using sunbeds, with seemingly little understanding they are playing Russian Roulette with their health.
According to Cancer Research UK, Melanoma skin cancer risk is 16-25 per cent higher in people who have used a sunbed (at any age), compared to people who have never used sunbeds.
This is because sunbeds pelt the skin with such strong UV rays which increase the risk of developing malignant melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer.
Just 20 minutes on one is comparable to four hours in the sun – with many stronger than Mediterranean rays at midday.
In many cases the damage is invisible until it’s too late, as it can take up to 20 years to become apparent.
Around 16,000 new melanoma skin cancer cases are diagnosed in the UK every year – that’s 44 every day.
There are around 2,300 melanoma skin cancer deaths annually – that’s more than six every day.
It’s part of the reason the World Health Organisation has deemed sunbeds are as dangerous as smoking.
This is why Fabulous says it is time to stop Dying For A Tan.
“I catch people looking, I catch people staring – it’s quite traumatic,” she added, before admitting that her obsession with tanning nearly killed her.
Nickie’s segment on Embarrassing Bodies comes after The Sun launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of using sunbeds.
The movement also delved into the signs of skin cancer – further urging people to put their lives before their vanity.
Just last month, new research found that banning sunbeds could help prevent deaths caused by deadly skin cancer.
Each year there are around 2,300 melanoma deaths in the UK – equating to more than six every day.
The NHS says that many sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday tropical sun.
Embarrassing Bodies is available to watch on All 4.
