Sunbed use can be life-threatening.

Refinery29 is an online magazine for women and under-represented people. We write about young people's lives and the issues that impact them.

We’ve long known just how dangerous sunbeds can be, but what is surprising is how many people still use them: Across the UK, around a third of adults say that they have used a sunbed. This means millions of people are at risk.

So we've launched a campaign — Sun Blocked — to call on the government to bring in a full ban on sunbeds and to promote sun safety.

During our research, we found out that skin cancer charities report a 75% increased likelihood of developing life-threatening melanoma skin cancer from JUST ONE indoor tanning session before age 35, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Young people who use tanning beds are at particular risk of developing skin cancer, both melanoma (a type of skin cancer which can spread to other parts of the body) and non-melanoma (a group of cancers that slowly develop in the upper layers of the skin).

Sunbeds are not safe. Cancer Research UK reports that there are around 2,300 melanoma skin cancer deaths in the UK every year, while scientists in England believe a sunbed ban would save lives.

With millions of people’s health on the line, things need to change.

Just think about these statistics:

Skin cancer incidence rates steadily increase in women aged 20 to 24, and diagnosis is 2.7 times higher than men among this demographic — Cancer Research UK.

Tanning damages all types of skin: Even if your skin type is not fair, tanning causes DNA injury that can lead to premature ageing and skin cancer — The Skin Cancer Foundation.

In the UK, around 85 out of 100 melanomas are caused by too much ultraviolet radiation — Cancer Research UK

Leading experts agree that sunbeds are a public health issue. 

So please join us by signing this petition.