'Collariums' are the latest dangerous trend being promoted by influencers

Tanning beds are back  

Skye Wheatley received serious backlash on social media. Image: Instagram

Skye Wheatley's lack of awareness has put her on the wrong side of her Instagram followers - and experts - who've slammed the influencer for boasting that she 'found a collarium' years after tanning beds were outlawed. 

We thought the days of tanning beds were over. But now there are fears of a resurgence thanks to careless influencers sharing their excitement over scoring the skin-cancer accelerants online.

Case in point: Skye Wheatley took to Instagram to boast about finding a collarium (a remarketed name for solarium) online.

In 2014, solarium sunbeds were outlawed for commercial use in Australia. Almost a decade later, the NSW Environmental Protection Authority sent out an urgent warning after they were alerted to illegal sunbed operators and sales in Australia.

“The outlawing of UV beds in 2014 has been very successful in drastically reducing the prevalence of UV tanning services,” EPA executive director of regulatory operations, Stephen Beaman said at the time.

“However, some rogue operators still try to sell tanning bed sessions, often using social media to hide their activity from authorities.

“The EPA has received on average 15 tip-offs a year about illegal solaria being offered for a fee, since the ban.

“UV sun beds were banned as they carry significant health risks such as early-onset melanoma.”

Court-imposed fines of up to $22,000 for individuals or $44,000 for businesses can be issued to anyone caught offering UV tanning services for cosmetic purposes for a fee or reward, EPA explained.

But businesses are still using social media to hide from the authorities, because Body Bronze, the company Skye promoted, doesn’t appear to have a website, and operates from their Instagram page. What’s more, the account is private, so users must request to follow.

Melanoma Institute Australia predicts that 1300 Australians will die from melanoma this year, and it’s most common in those between the ages of 20 and 39. While 95 per cent of melanomas are caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun.

It came as no surprise that Skye, a mother-of-two, was slammed by her followers.

One wrote, “You absolutely do not understand how skin cancer is caused. There is no level of 'safe tan'. You're not just sharing what you do, there are many impressionable people that you are reaching.

“You have a moral and ethical responsibility, greater than the average person, to ensure you are not sharing information which can be harmful.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. But Skye couldn’t see what all the fuss was about and told her sun-safe followers to take it up with Body Bronze instead.

Skye Wheatley took to Instagram to boast about finding a collarium (a remarketed name for solarium) online. Image: Instagram.

“Guys please understand what I used today WAS NOT A SOLARIUM HONESTLY how many times do I have to say it,” she said on her stories.

“Take it up with whoever made it legal if it's such a problem like why the hell would I post a solly [solarium] it's so dumb like they are illegal and dangerous I get it!”

She continued, “It looks like a solly but it's not a solly. IT WASN'T A SOLLY I'M NOT PROMOTING SKIN CANCER.”

Then there’s an online supplier blatantly selling collariums, and spruiking them as “skincare” technology. The company says they’re “at the forefront of technology in tanning and skincare. Tanning with the additional benefits of collagen stimulation, leaving the skin clean, rejuvenated and blemish free.”

Masking tanning behind the skincare and wellness categories has to be some kind of a joke, and even then, our experts aren’t laughing.

Professor Anne Cust, chair of Cancer Council’s Skin Cancer Committee tells Body+Soul she can’t stress more that a suntan is a sign of skin damage. Kind of debunks the above retailers' claims of “rejuvenated and blemish-free” skin, no?

“When skin is exposed to UV radiation, more melanin is produced, causing the skin to darken. This is what we know as a ‘suntan’. There is no such thing as a safe suntan,” Prof Cust says.

“Exposure to artificial sources of ultraviolet radiation in a solarium, sunbed or a tanning bed, causes skin cancers including melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, ocular melanoma, as well as eye damage and premature aging of the skin.”

The Cancer Council recommends creams and lotion sunscreens. Image: Unsplash

The Cancer Council does not recommend the use of artificial UV radiation tanning devices for cosmetic purposes in any circumstances, so Skye might want to rethink her claims that she’s not promoting skin cancer.

The good that’s come of her shocking social media post is that Body Bronze will likely get slapped with a fine like the ones above, thanks to their influential customer.

“State and territory governments have implemented strong compliance and enforcement measures to control commercial solarium operations and have acted against individuals who have been commercialising sunbed use in their private home,” says Prof Cust, who wants us to cherish the skin we’re born with.

“We encourage Australians to embrace their natural skin tone and protect their skin from the sun.”

And most importantly, Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek & Shade

“Whenever the UV is three or above, it’s important to slip on sun protective clothing, slop on SPF 30 or higher, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen, slap on a broad-brimmed hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses.”

Originally published as 'Collariums' are the latest dangerous trend being promoted by influencers