Singer 'ages 30 years' to highlight sunbed cancer dangers » Health » 24dash.com

Singer Sandi Thom has been artificially aged 30 years to warn youngsters of the dangers of sunbeds.

Cancer Research UK published "shocking" results of how Thom could look through overexposure to UV rays, which the charity said in some sunbeds can be 10 to 15 times higher than those of the midday sun.

One image shows Thom as she could look at 57 with severe skin damage, which could be caused by overexposure to UV from sunbed use or regular sunbathing.

The normally fresh-faced 27-year-old is depicted with deep-set wrinkles, sagging skin, drooping eyelids, large bags around her eye area and skin discolouration, which are associated with the skin losing its suppleness and elasticity.

Thom said: "I'm in a state of shock and the thought of looking like this at 57 is terrifying.

"Having seen these images I can honestly say I am never going to use a sunbed again.

"You can so easily get brown from a bottle these days, there is just no point in ruining your looks and risking skin cancer by using sunbeds.

"I hope the horrible image of me will make other young people think twice before they next use a sunbed."

In contrast, another image shows how the singer and songwriter could look aged 57 with natural age progression, with 70% fewer wrinkles and far less sagging skin.

Thom was previously a regular sunbed user and would visit her local tanning salon up to three times a week while at university in Liverpool.

The age-modification technology used to make the images involved taking a recent picture of Thom and taking into account the singer's lifestyle, images of her parents and her typical UV exposure.

Cancer Research UK commissioned the images for SunSmart - a UK-wide skin cancer prevention campaign, which this year is encouraging young people to think twice before they next get on a sunbed.

Caroline Cerny, SunSmart campaign manager at Cancer Research UK said: "We want to provide young people with a shocking visual representation of how sunbeds and over-exposure to the sun can dramatically affect the way you look further down the line.

"While young people may be using sunbeds as they think they make them look good now, in the long term they are doing serious damage to their looks."

August is a key time for sunbed use in the UK as people returning from their holidays attempt to keep their summer glow.

Sunbeds not only damage people's appearances, they also significantly increase the risk of skin cancer, the charity said.

Using a sunbed before the age of 35 increases the risk of skin cancer by up to 75%, it added.

For more information on SunSmart visit www.cancerresearchuk.org/sunsmart