Published: Wednesday, 19th August, 2009 5:34pm

SUNBED ADDICTION COULD HAVE COST ME MY LIFE

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AN ERSKINE woman claims her addiction to sunbeds almost killed her.

Lynsey Wight was diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer last year after totalling up 3,000 sunbed sessions.

The 31-year-old from Bargarran was just 16 when she got the tanning bug but regrets ever setting foot in a salon.

She said: "I used to go every second day for 20 minutes and the routine became addictive.

"You could go in on your lunchbreak from school and come out tanned and relaxed.

"No-one used to ask what age I was - all tanning salons care about is getting your money.

"My doctor found that I had a malignant melanoma at a checkup and I had to have a 1cm diameter of skin removed to take the mole away.

"My dermatologist took a look and decided to take the mole off just in case.

"They caught it just in time - if the cancer had spread into my lymph nodes I don't think I would have had such a chance at surviving.

"Now I want people to know what happened to me and try and get them to stop using sunbeds because they put your life at risk."

Lynsey began researching spray tanning on advice of her consultant and decided to become a 'Fakebake at home' franchise holder on a part-time basis.

The mum-of-three now receives regular checkups at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Royal Infirmary to make sure she keeps getting the all-clear.

She now uses the product favoured by celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole and is keen to use her misfortune to help others.

The HP worker is planning to visit schools in Renfrewshire to educate youngsters about the dangers of sunbed use and encourage them to try spray tanning which is faster and poses no risk to skin.

Lynsey added: "If I knew then what I know now, I would avoid sunbeds at all cost.

"It is not worth risking cancer just for a tan."

Cancer Research UK say that people under 18 should never use sunbeds, and unstaffed coin-operated sunbed shops like the ones Lynsey used should be closed down.