Would you risk your life for a tan? Inside Victoria’s thriving illicit tanning bed solarium network

They’ve been banned for a decade, but a Herald Sun investigation uncovered swarms of illegal sunbed operators thriving in an illicit network.

Finding an illegal solarium in Victoria takes about two minutes.

That is, if you know what you’re looking for.

Trying to catch a tan in Melbourne is a tough business, but some are willing to put their lives on the line to look slightly more bronzed.

An underground network of solariums is thriving throughout the state, with easily-accessible social media posts advertising time under the UV light for a cash fee.

This is against the law.

In Victoria, you’re allowed to privately own a tanning bed, but charging others a fee for using it is outlawed across Australia.

Easily-accessible social media posts are advertising time under the UV light for a fee.

With minimal effort, the Herald Sun was able to find more than two dozen crooks offering paid sessions in their private home solariums.

One young Melbourne woman even owns an overt solarium business, brazenly advertising her tanning bed and tan enhancing creams – known as ‘tingle creams’ – on social media.

They nearly always ask for cash payments. They often post anonymously.

They know it’s illegal – they just don’t care.

Inside the illegal solarium network

In the online solarium network, there is a smorgasbord of people seeking and offering solariums around Melbourne, with locations in at least 26 suburbs.

Typically, people post inquiries about whether there are solariums in their local areas and others comment to either spruik their own tanning beds or offer recommendations.

The group’s description is, ironically, a manifesto about the evils and perils of tobacco.

If tobacco causes more deaths than tanning, they argue, why not ban smoking? Why is it a public health issue and not a personal one?

Typically, people post inquiries about whether there are solariums in their local areas. Picture: Supplied

The group’s description is, ironically, a manifesto about the evils and perils of tobacco. Picture: Supplied

As Associate Professor Michelle Jongenelis explained, it’s not that simple.

Their argument is a flawed one, she said, and is a perfect example of a diversion fallacy — drawing you away from the issue at hand (tanning) and toward a separate one (smoking).

“It’s obviously correct that smoking should be banned, but that should not be the argument that we use to say that tanning is okay,” she said.

“They’re trying to change the subject to smoking and don’t want you to realise that, actually, what they’re doing is completely illegal and increases the risk of cancer.

“Australia has one of the highest melanoma rates in the world because of our exposure to the sun, and melanoma is deadly.

“Comparing tanning and smoking is a false equivalence. You can’t compare the two.

“If you’re saying, well, at least our thing doesn’t kill millions of people every year, that doesn’t actually mean that your thing is good either. It’s a very low bar to be setting yourself up with,” A/Professor Jongenelis said.

Why are tanning beds such a big deal?

Tanning beds are a big deal because they can kill you.

Before commercial solariums were banned in 2015, the Cancer Council estimated that annually in Australia, 281 melanoma cases, 43 melanoma- related deaths and 2572 new cases of squamous cell carcinoma were attributable to solarium use.

That means every year, nearly 3000 cases of skin cancer were diagnosed as a result of tanning beds. This cost the public health system about $3m each year.

The primary reason they are so dangerous is because of the extraordinarily high levels of UV radiation they emit.

Tanners often use ‘tingle creams’ to try and enhance their colour under the radiation. Picture: Supplied

Solarium lamps emit extremely high UV levels, stronger than sun on a hot day. Picture: Mark Stewart

There are a variety of types of fluorescent lamps used in sunbeds – but even the weaker lamps on the market are far stronger than sunshine on a high UV day.

Data from the Bureau of Meteorology shows the average UV index in Melbourne in summer is 8-11, which is classified as ‘very high’. It often rises past 11 into the ‘extreme’ category.

By comparison, UV indexes in solariums usually range from 30-50.

Tanning beds are classified by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in the highest risk category, Group 1: carcinogenic to humans.

UV indexes in solariums usually range from 30-50. Picture: Supplied

Head of Prevention at Cancer Council Victoria Craig Sinclair said UV exposure causes DNA damage to your skin, sometimes resulting in a tan.

“The UV causes DNA damage, and through evolution, our body reacts to that DNA damage to try and protect itself by creating a tan,” Mr Sinclair said.

“So a tan is causing harm to the body because it’s trying to respond to DNA damage. There’s no such thing as a safe tan.

“Over 2200 Australians die each year from skin cancer, so it’s not insignificant by any stretch of the imagination. What’s really sad about it is that we’re dealing with a disease that’s highly preventable.”

Other risks associated with tanning and solariums include squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, ocular melanoma, eye damage and premature ageing.

How is illegal tanning regulated?

Commercial solariums were banned in 2015, but since then, only 19 cases of commercial tanning have been prosecuted.

This does not mean people have stopped using tanning beds, it just means they’re not getting caught.

Since 2015, a plethora of underground solarium businesses have continued to operate, but the alarming lack of prosecutions has enabled the illicit industry to flourish.

The state’s Department of Health has a dedicated team for radiation matters and is the lead agency in relation to offences under the Radiation Act.

In 2024, about 34 solarium matters have or are being investigated, with 16 of these public complaints by the health regulator.

Victoria Police and councils don’t investigate solarium matters, but if they receive information about potential offenders they tell the department.

In 2024 so far, about 34 solarium matters have been investigated or are under investigation by the health regulator — 16 of which are from public complaints.

On its website, the department says the radiation team “take enforcement action in relation to possible breaches”, which could include “seizing sunbeds and tanning beds and prosecuting commercial tanning operators”.

“The maximum penalty for this offence in the case of a natural person is 60 penalty units while for a body corporate the maximum penalty is 300 penalty units.”

As of July 1, 2024, one penalty unit is $197.59 – meaning 60 penalty units adds up to an $11,856 fine for an individual and a $59,277 fine for a body corporate.

A Department of Health spokesperson said commercial solariums pose a “serious skin cancer risk”.

“We have taken a strong stance on solariums since they were banned, seizing and destroying many beds across the state. We won’t hesitate to act where needed to protect the public health of Victorians,” they said.

“Successful prosecutions for illegal solarium cases can often take up to 12 months due to their complexity – however, we are continuing to crack down on any individual putting lives at risk by commercially operating these dangerous machines.