Sunbeds are as dangerous as smoking, according to the World Health Organisation. Its International Agency for Research on Cancer, previously classified tanning beds as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

But now it has ranked them alongside arsenic, asbestos and cigarettes as posing the greatest threat of cancer. The risk of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, increases by 75 percent when the use of tanning devices starts before the age of 30, according to the findings.

In the holiday season, the risks from natural sunshine must also be taken into account. Avoiding exposure in the middle of the day, wearing sunglasses and applying a high-factor sunscreen are all ways to protect yourself.More about: Health, Medical research

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