Sunbeds can give you STIs including genital warts or herpes, experts warn
Skin cancer isn't the only danger lurking in your tanning booth
WE’RE all clued up about the dangers of using sunbeds, with skin cancer preying on the minds of all who seek out a year-long tan.
But experts have warned that isn't the only health risk associated with exposing your skin to UV rays.
People who use tanning booths could also catch a sexually transmitted infection - just by lying down on a bed that someone who has the disease has used.
Genital herpes is highly contagious and spreads from one person to another via skin-to-skin contact.
It is commonly passed on through sex and oral sex.
Once a person is infected with the virus it can reactivate every so often to cause a new episode of painful genital herpes.
There is no complete cure for the infection - a sufferer will be given treatment each time they suffer a flare up.
Dermatologist Dawn Marie Davies, an associate professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, says the virus, and other bacteria, can survive on tanning beds, despite the heat.
"In my practice, I've seen acquired bacterial infections, warts, and herpes infections from tanning beds," she told .
"Ultraviolet light can theoretically kill germs, but it's not enough to kill germs on the tanning bed.
"What's interesting is that when you use the ultraviolet light over and over again - and the tanning bed lights are on for multiple hours a day - if the bacteria or virus is exposed to some antiseptic but not enough to kill it, or some light but not enough to kill it, it can grow stronger and then it becomes resistant."
So if the skin cancer concern doesn't make you think twice about using a sunbed, perhaps this will.
WHAT IS GENITAL HERPES?
*Genital herpes is a common infection caused by the herpes simplex virus
*It causes painful blisters on the genitals and the surrounding areas
*It can be transmitted via sex or skin-to-skin contact
*Genital herpes is a long-term condition. The virus remains in your body and can become active again
*Genital herpes is a common condition, especially in people from 20 to 24 years old
*Although there's no cure for genital herpes, the symptoms can usually be controlled using antiviral medicines
Source: NHS Choices