One in 10 doctors admit to sunbed use

British doctors take part in activities that put them at an increased risk of developing skin cancer, a study presented by researchers at the World Congress of Cancers of the Skin in Scotland, has shown.

The study showed that a third of doctors demonstrated sun-seeking behaviours, such as sunbathing and tanning with 10% of respondents admitted to using sunbeds. It also revealed that only one in three doctors has performed self examination of their skin in the last 12 months, despite recommendations from the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) to check skin monthly.

Interestingly, a similar survey conducted by the BAD in 2013 showed that ordinary members of the public check their skin more frequently, with 43% of the general public compared with 65% of doctors responding that they have not examined their skin for signs of skin cancer. DrJingyuanXu, one of the researchers from Sandwell and West Midlands Hospitals NHS Trust, said, “It is worrying that a large number of doctors are not looking after their skin in the sun, and only a third of them are checking their skin for cancer. This is a fairly simple thing to do and can make all the difference when it comes to catching potential skin cancers early.”

Matthew Gass of the British Association of Dermatologists said, “It’s disappointing that some doctors are not following the advice that they should be passing on to others. Particularly worrying is the fact that 10% of those questioned admitted to using sunbeds. We would hope by now that most doctors would recognise that if you are looking to get a tan, it’s much safer to get it from a bottle. It would be very interesting to see further studies in this area, with a larger sample size.”