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Writing practice
You have been reading the following pages on the Internet……
Sunbeds
Sunbeds give out harmful UV rays which damage your skin and can make it look
wrinkled, older or leathery. The UV rays from sunbeds can also damage the DNA in
your skin cells, and over time this damage can build up to cause skin cancer.
Sunbeds can sometimes be marketed as a ‘controlled way’ of getting a ‘safer tan’.
But actually, sunbeds are no safer than exposure to the sun itself, and the amount of
UV people receive varies enormously too.
IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) agrees there is sufficient
evidence to show that using sunbeds causes malignant melanoma, the most serious
form of skin cancer. They also conclude that sunbeds provide no positive health
benefits. Sunbeds don’t protect against further damage from the sun.
The truth about sunbeds
There are lots of myths about sunbeds. You can find the truth behind these myths
below.
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 nearly 60%. Surgical
treatment for skin cancer can result in serious scarring, and melanoma can be fatal.
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Spending more time on sunbeds will not make your tan look
any better
No matter how much UV you receive, there comes a point when your skin won't get
any darker. Using sunbeds can make your skin coarse, leathery and wrinkled. Trying
to increase a tan by having more sunbed sessions or using a sunbed after
sunbathing is harmful.
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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 and 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.
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You cannot tan safely by building your sunbed tan gradually
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, damage your skin.
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A sunbed tan will not provide much protection from the sun
on holiday
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.
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As long as I don’t burn, I won’t damage my skin
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. Some of the damage may happen before you get burnt or your skin goes red.
Cells damaged by UV are at greater risk of mutating and then dividing uncontrollably,
which is what happens in cancer.
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You don't need a sunbed to produce vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for healthy bones. Our bodies make the vitamin when our skin
is exposed to UV rays and it is also present in certain foods. In general, people 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.
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Writing task
A close friend has been using a sunbed for long periods to keep her holiday
tan topped up. You are worried about her health. Using the information in the
text, write an email to her to persuade her to think again about her decision.
NEW MESSAGE
Recipient:
Subject: