Sunbed victim's mother in ban call
Updated on 09 July 2009
The mother of a teenage girl who was severely burned at an unmanned tanning salon said her daughter lives with the knowledge that she may have seriously damaged her skin.
Jill McRae told an inquiry into the regulation of sunbeds how 14-year-old Kirsty was taken to hospital with first-degree burns on 70% of her body after spending 19 minutes on a coin-operated machine.
Giving evidence to members of the Welsh Assembly's Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee, she supported calls for a ban on under 18s using sunbeds.
She said her daughter had never been on a sunbed before and had been expressly forbidden from using them.
Kirsty needed oxygen and was put on intravenous drips at hospital, her mother said. She was in a "great deal of pain for some time afterwards" and took about a fortnight to heal superficially.
"She lives with the knowledge that she may have done irreparable damage to her skin that may not become evident for a number of years," she said.
She added: "I would like to see regulation of all establishments which operate this equipment.
"I would like people still to have freedom of choice. At the end of the day we can only put the message out about the damage.
"But if they choose to use it they should be able to so in a safe, hygienic environment that's run responsibly and professionally - and I do not believe that includes unmanned and coin-operated salons."
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