Ella Ravenscroft, a 20-year-old model from England is sharing her experience on social media to encourage people to stop using tanning beds.
The model, who said she has been using tanning beds once a week for a year, recently had to get two large moles removed from her stomach and another under her breast, which appeared after using tanning beds.
She posted a series of photos on Facebook showing her scar and explaining her story. Although her moles were not cancerous yet, she explained it was an eye-opening experience that made her stop going to tanning beds.
She urges her followers to stop using tanning beds right away.
This story reminds us of a story that came out three years ago, in 2015. It makes us wonder that if no action happened after that story, this one probably won't stop anyone.
In 2015, a 27-year-old nurse came out with picture of her severe skin cancer. The skin cancer was caused by years of frequent tanning in sunbeds.
"If anyone needs a little motivation to not lay in the tanning bed and sun here ya go! This is what skin cancer treatment can look like," she said, and posted a very gruesome photo of her face covered with scars and sores from her cancer.
Stories continue to come out just like these two, and action is rarely taken.
Many people believe that using tanning beds is better for your skin than tanning in the sun, which isn't true. A tan is your body's attempt to protect itself from the damaging effect of UV rays.
Evidence shows people who are frequently exposed to UV rays before the age of 25 are at greater risk of developing skin cancer later in life, and sunburn in childhood can greatly increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
It seems as if this information is constantly given to the public, but people chose to not listen.
A nice tan is never worth the future damaging effects it could cause. They could be as simple as a few moles, or as serious as life-threatening skin cancer.
If you still choose to tan ensure you are frequently checking your skin for moles or any irregularities.