The case in summary: The tanning bed chain Sun2 claims that tanning beds provide health benefits, including improved skin quality, fewer wrinkles, less cellulite and an increased sense of happiness. The Directorate for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and the Norwegian Cancer Society warn against the use of solariums due to the increased risk of cancer. Sun2 encourages sun protection and warns against excessive sunbathing. Norway is among the countries with the highest incidence of skin cancer, and there has been an increase in the number of new cases of skin and mole cancer. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – As an ordinary person, you don’t know who to listen to anymore when it comes to solariums. There is new and conflicting research every month, it feels like. Then you get confused, says Alexander Ellefsen, who this week chose to enjoy the natural sun in Nygårdsparken in Bergen with a friend. Lures with “health-giving” treatment While it is known that sunlight gives the body vitamin D, the nationwide tanning chain Sun2 goes even further in its marketing of artificial tanning. “Solarium gives better health” is written in large letters on the posters in the sun studio’s branch at Nesttun in Bergen. Another notice both on the wall and on the company’s website entices with “health-giving and stimulating treatment”. – Moderate use is very healthy – Moderate use of the sun both outside and in the solarium is very healthy for health, says Ronny Rath Pedersen, head of the tanning salon chain Sun2. – It is very well documented in the medical literature that it is beneficial for diabetes and it is beneficial for high blood pressure, among other things, he claims. The latest innovation is a solarium with colored light. According to the solarium chain, this offers a long list of health benefits. Among other things, it should help to improve the quality of the skin, give fewer lines and wrinkles, less cellulite and an increased sense of happiness. Ronny Rath Pedersen in Sun2 is proud of the chain’s new solar offering and believes that the claims about health benefits are well documented. Photo: Christel Higraff / news That sunbathing in a solarium can be health-promoting, they take, among other things, from articles from journals such as Anticancer Research and Public Health Nutrition. Sun2 are not the only ones to brag about solariums in this way. Doctor and author Torkil Færø also actively goes out and encourages people to take solariums, especially to use the solariums with colored light for health benefits. Believes the benefits do not offset the risk of cancer The claims about health benefits are controversial and violate the professional advice from the health authorities. – We must not forget that solariums are primarily UV rays, and that the use of solariums is carcinogenic. It is very well documented, says Lill Tove Nilsen, who is director of studies in the Directorate for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. – The fact that they add colored light and claim that it has many positive effects will in no way balance out the cancer risk you have from the UV rays, says Nilsen. This is how Sun2 advertises tanning in solariums. Photo: Christel Higraff / news Norway worst case of skin cancer Both the radiation protection authorities and the Norwegian Cancer Society advise against the use of solariums due to the increased risk of cancer. Regional manager Geir Vangsnes of the Vestland Cancer Association also reacts to the sun chain’s marketing focusing heavily on the fact that solariums supposedly improve health. – What is absolutely clear is that you should avoid solariums to reduce the risk of skin cancer, he says. Norway is among the countries with the highest incidence of skin cancer. While the figures for other common cancers point downward, there has been an increase in the number of new cases of skin and mole cancer this year as well. This is despite a lot of focus on prevention such as the use of sunscreen and good sun habits in recent years. Geir Vangsnes in the Cancer Association is not impressed by Sun2’s marketing. Photo: Christel Higraff / news Five sun tips The Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) and the Norwegian Cancer Society have together with professional experts drawn up five sun tips: Limit the time in strong sun Seek shade Use clothing, something on your head and sunglasses. Use plenty of sunscreen, factor 30 or higher. Do not use a solarium – Avoid overexposure Ronny Rath Pedersen in Sun2 also encourages sun protection. On their websites, there is a clear warning that excessive sunbathing can lead to skin cancer. – We are very clear that it is important to use the sun correctly. Never burn yourself, and don’t stay in the sun for hours, even if you use sunscreen. You have to have a slightly more sober relationship with the sun in order to draw the positive changes. Overexposure to the sun is negative, regardless of whether it happens outside or inside. With sun and summer in Bergen, there were no customers to talk to at the Sun2 center in Nesttun when news visited the place. Instead, Bergens flock to beaches and parks. Quite the opposite with the solarium Back in Nygårdsparken, Zara Cetnarowska enjoys the sun with a friend. She says that she used to use a solarium to get a tan. Now she has dropped it completely. – I realized that it is quite dangerous. And it’s not really worth it, because the color doesn’t last very long. In addition, you become somewhat dependent, she says. Mari Såtendal and Zara Cetnarowska enjoy the sun in Nygårdsparken in Bergen. Photo: Christel Higraff / news What both the Sun2 boss and the Cancer Society agree on is that you must take breaks from the sun anyway and avoid getting burned. – It’s actually that simple, says Ronny Rath Pedersen. Published 03.07.2024, at 05.19
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Solkjede claims that sunbathing is good for health – the radiation protection authorities react – news Vestland
