A teenage girl has been diagnosed with skin cancer after visiting tanning salons from the age of 12.
The 17-year-old, from Billingham, Teesside, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, last year.
She told specialists she had been visiting tanning booths using her school dinner money to pay for sessions.
It comes less than a week after student Cerys Harding, from Cardiff, died of skin cancer despite never having used a sunbed in her life.
Susan Waterfield, clinical lead at the Specialist Skin Service, in Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, said: 'She is one of the youngest we have seen here. She had been using sunbeds from the age of 12.
'That is extremely young. I don't think it really sunk in to her how life-threatening her cancer was.
'It was her mother who was more upset and shocked. She didn't know her daughter had been using these booths.
It was a very serious situation and thankfully she had the cancer removed and she now has the all-clear.'
Ms Waterfield said clinic had nine referrals for malignant melanoma last year, compared to five the previous year.
She added: 'Nine is a high number for us as we are quite a small service.
'The second youngest we had was a 21-year-old and the others were in their 30s. All of them confessed to using sunbeds from a young age.'
In contrast, Miss Harding's mother Beverly told how her daughter had always tried to avoid sunburn - and never used sunbeds.
'Cerys was so careful,' she said: 'She was the only person on the beach that had a towel over her as well as under her.'
Details of the young girl's battle with skin cancer came as new regulations come into force across the country, banning under 18s from using sunbeds.
Businesses such as tanning salons, beauty shops, leisure centres, gyms and hotels have been told they will face fines of up to £20,000 if under 18s use their sunbeds.
New research has found that more and more young people are being diagnosed with skin cancer compared to 30 years ago, and sunbeds and not being careful in the sun are being blamed.
Ms Waterfield said that more needed to be done to raise the awareness of the dangers of skin cancer.
'Sunbeds really are a nightmare for us,' she said. 'We encourage young people to use fake tan instead. It is a lot safer.
'It is great to hear that salons will be fined. Too many young people are using sunbeds and are just not aware of the dangers they are causing to their health.'
source: dailymail.co.uk
www.cancerclaims.co.uk
