Fears that sunbeds in commercial collariums are increasing melanoma risk

While banned across the country, commercial sunbeds appear to making a return as ‘collariums’ - claiming to give users a "longer-lasting beautiful tan" via UV and red light, as well as stimulating collagen, preventing ageing and hair loss and protecting cells against free radicals.

With social media ‘influencers’ promoting their use, commercial premises in NSW, Queensland and Victoria are offering collarium sessions from $30.

As a result, Queensland Health is investigating the legality of commercial collarium operations, banned in Queensland since 2015 and nationally since 2016.

However, home use of sunbeds is not illegal.

Despite the bans, reports regularly emerge of illegal ‘backyard’ operations offering sunbeds commercially.

According to Queensland Health, sunbed users have a 20% higher risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma, and that risk jumps to 59% if the artificial tanning bed is used before the age of 35.

A Queensland Health spokesperson told the ABC that it was aware of collarium services being offered at several locations and was investigating whether the machines were a banned radiation source under Queensland's Radiation Safety Act.

The spokesperson noted “owners of 'pink light therapy' or 'collarium' devices should seek and obtain detailed advice from the manufacturer on the radiation levels their devices produce to ensure they do not possess banned radiation sources.”

Under Queensland law, the maximum penalty for possession of a banned radiation source is $61,920 for an individual and $309,600 for a corporation.

Victoria's Health Department has also warned that anyone offering the use of a collarium bed for a fee or reward was committing an offence.

A Victorian Health Department spokesperson advised “we will continue to crack down on any individual putting lives at risk by commercially operating these dangerous machines."

Explaining the risks of sunbed use, Professor Grant McArthur, a Consultant Medical Oncologist, Head of the Molecular Oncology Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Lorenzo Galli Chair of Melanoma and Skin Cancers at the University of Melbourne stated “'collarium' tanning beds deliver UV radiation of a narrower band than conventional solariums however still deliver UV radiation that can mutate skin cells and lead to cancer including deadly melanoma.

"Tanning itself is a sign of skin cells in trauma due to DNA damage activating a stress response that increases pigment in the skin, a tan. 

“Broad spectrum sunscreens active against broad wavelengths of UV radiation are strongly recommended for protection to UV radiation as there is no safe UV radiation. Current state and territory laws and regulations should be used to take action against any commercial 'collarium' operator."