R UV UGLY Campaign Tours Scotland with Skin Scanner

A SKIN scanner which aims to show young shoppers the damaging and ageing effects of sunbed use is set to tour Scotland as part of a new campaign.

The machine is part of a campaign called ‘R UV UGLY?’ which is being launched by Cancer Research UK in partnership with the Scottish Government.

It will take a high tech UV skin scanner to shopping centres across Scotland to show sunbed users the hidden damage that may be lurking underneath their skin. As well as this cosmetic damage shown by the scanner, the UV rays from sunbeds can also damage the DNA in our skin, and over time this DNA damage can build up and lead to skin cancer.

The ‘R UV UGLY?’ campaign comes as alarming figures show that incidence rates of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, have more than tripled among 15-34 year olds in Scotland in the last thirty years.* Around 100 people in this age group are now diagnosed with the disease each year.**

Rates of malignant melanoma in 15-34 year olds in Scotland are higher than the UK average*** and have risen from 2.1 cases per 100,000 in this age group in the late 1970s up to 8.0 per 100,000 now.*

And latest figures for Scotland show that around 1,100 people of all ages are diagnosed with the disease every year.****

Glasgow-born Crow Road actress Valerie Edmondhas given herbacking to the campaign.

Valerie, who recently played a starring role in BBC3 drama Lip Service and is one half of dance act The Souls, currently in this week’s DMC Buzz Charts, said: “I am proud to be supporting ‘R UV UGLY?’ as it opens your eyes to the damage and premature ageing that sunbeds can cause to the skin.

She said: “It’s really important to respect your own skin type and more importantly who you are. The idea of harming your appearance by risking your health just doesn’t make sense. I hope this campaign will help people in Scotland to say no to sun beds.”

The ‘R UV UGLY?’ campaign will be touring shopping centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and East Kilbride from 15th – 28th October. For more information visit sunsmart.org.uk.