I was keen to know if people in the “real world” turn to sunbeds in a bid to treat their eczema, and the responses I received were alarming. Ellie, 24, admitted to using sunbeds as an eczema treatment even though she had previously had a cancer scare. “I have loads of moles and actually had a cancerous mole from abusing sunbeds too much when I was younger,” she says. “I did use them a few times [after that] to help my skin condition but I stopped because long term, it isn’t good at all. I won’t touch sunbeds now, even when I have a flare-up.” When asked what changed her mind, Ellie said: “Sunbeds are just quick fixes, and I can’t help but feel like I’m causing further damage — even if it’s helping me feel better in the moment.”
