TANNING experts have moved to reassure sun bed lovers that their tanning tools are safe.

Swindon beauty specialists said that the beds were intended to be less harmful than tanning out in the sun.

It follows a study published in a leading dermatology journal that suggested that one in five people who use sun beds could be addicted to them.

Scientists spoke to 3,000 Germans for the study, which was published in the British Journal of Dermatology this week. Of 330 sunbed users, almost 20 per cent screened as positive for symptoms of a potential indoor tanning addiction, the researchers said.

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “There is strong evidence that use of sunbeds increases the risk of skin cancers, including malignant melanoma which is the most deadly type.

“For people who start using sunbeds before the age of 35 years the relative risk of malignant melanoma almost doubles.”

But beauty specialists have questioned the study’s findings.

Vicky Gordon, director of Cricklade Road-based salon The Tanning Room, said: “We’re all behind safe tanning. You’re safer on a sun bed than you are tanning in the sun.

“I think most people enjoy spending time on the tanning beds. It can help people with arthritis and other conditions.”

Strict regulations govern the maximum strength of UV light a sun bed user can be exposed to. It has an equivalent tanning effect to the mid-day Mediterranean summer sun – but without the same burning effect, The UK Sunbed Association said.

Children under-18 are not allowed to use sunbeds – with fines of up to £20,000 for salons caught flouting the law.

The Sunbed Association, which represents Swindon-based salon Consol amongst others, hit back at the study’s authors.

Gary Lipman, Chairman of the Sunbed Association, called the study “yet another unjustified attack on sunbeds”.

“Sunbed users in Sunbed Association member salons tan responsibly under supervised conditions, they are not addicted to tanning.

“The British Association of Dermatologists, who are promoting this study, have dressed it up seeking to score a result. Their evidence is flawed and their logic can best be described as specious.

“Sunbed Association member salons screen and monitor customer use of their sunbeds and ensure no-one with any contra-indications to tanning is allowed to use them. We suggest resources and efforts would be better placed researching tanning behaviour of Brits burning abroad on holiday.”