Tanning addict who ignores medical advice on sun beds claims his ‘dark’ skin boosts love life

A British man who defies medical advice on using sun beds because he loves “dark” skin has made a bizarre claim about his love life.

A sun bed addict, who claims he’s proof UV rays are not harmful after tanning for 17 years without any health issues, said his “dark” skin boosts his sex life.

British personal trainer Mike Smith, 36, spends £245 ($450) a month visiting solariums plus has regular melatonin jabs.

Sun beds work by giving out ultraviolet (UV) rays which medical experts have warned significantly increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

According to Cancer Council Australia, sun beds causes melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), ocular melanoma, eye damage and premature ageing of the skin.

However Mike is continuing to defy medical advice because he loves “dark” skin, even claiming his bronzed glow boosts his love life, helping him bed more than 100 women.

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British man Mike Smith has claimed he is proof the sun beds aren’t dangerous, despite the World Health Organisation stating they are ‘as dangerous as smoking’. Picture: Instagram/mike15july

“I can’t live with pale skin. It’s not attractive. I don’t feel good,” he told The Sun.

“But I love being dark. Women love it – I always get compliments on my tan and my body.”

Mike, who hails from the seaside town of Brighton, 85km south of London, started tanning at 19 and used to spend 36 minutes a day under the lights in double sessions at different salons – one for 20 minutes and the other for 16.

But the gym lover – who shares topless selfies on his Instagram account flaunting his extreme tan – said he doesn’t “judge people who are pale”.

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The personal trainer brags his ‘dark’ skin has helped him bed more than 100 women. Picture: Instagram/mike15july

But he doesn’t ‘judge people who are pale’. Picture: Instagram/mike15july

“Smoking cigarettes and tobacco could give you cancer but I’ve met many people who’ve smoked all their life without problems,” he said.

“Most Brits eat bacon every morning, which could give you heart disease, but no one is saying it should be illegal.”

He added that while he is “happy with my colour” he now has to maintain it, spending £160 ($295) a month on self-injected melatonin jabs plus £85 ($155) on unlimited sun bed access at a salon.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sun-beds are as dangerous as smoking.

“Like the sun, they give out harmful UV rays, that damage the DNA in your skin cells – which over time, can lead to malignant melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer,” WHO’s website reads.

He spends $450 a month maintaining his tan. Picture: Instagram/mike15july

In Australia, solariums have been banned since 2015, but privately owning a sun bed is not.

The move spawned a black market for sun tans with solarium owners operating illegally out of private rooms and backyards since the deadly tanning beds were banned for commercial use.

In the UK, solariums are still allowed to operate, but criticism is high. Last year, Tory MP Pauline Latham branded sun beds “killing machines”.

Melatonin injections are illegal in both the UK and Australia. Known as the “Barbie drug” it is illegally imported and sold online on sites like Gumtree.

The drug promises a deep, long-lasting tan all year round but it can accelerate cancer and have damaging side effects, including nausea, vomiting, bloating, flatulence and back, liver and kidney pain.

According to VicHealth, Melanotan II, which costs about $60 a bottle, is similar to the substance in our bodies that increases the production of skin-darkening pigments.

Potential moles and lesions on the body are at high risk of turning into skin cancers and melanomas.

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