A woman has warned tanning sunbeds are “really not worth it” after developing terminal skin cancer in her 40s.

Gill Costello began using sunbeds during her college years in the 1990s and early 2000s.. 

“We didn't have as much education about the dangers of the sun and sunbeds,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“If I could rewind, I would probably stay pale or use fake tan... really there is no excuse for using sunbeds.”

Ms Costello first caught the cancer after a friend noticed a dark mole growing on her back, and she told her GP at her next appointment.

“He said it didn’t look too bad, but we’ll get it taken off,” Ms Costello explained. 

“Within two weeks, they removed it and they confirmed then that it was actually melanoma, but it was caught quite early.” 

'Even one session'

Dermatologist Professor Caitriona Ryan said “even one session” on a sunbed increases the risk of skin cancer by 60%. 

"Melanoma can be a potentially fatal disease. They also increase other types of skin cancer and premature aging.” 

Apart from checkups every five years, Ms Costello was told there was nothing to worry about – until she began fainting for days in a row in 2021. 

"They did about 20 or 30 scans and procedures to confirm what it was,” she said. “It turned out it was the melanoma that had come back, and it had spread right through my body. 

“I had it in six different places including a seven-centimetre tumour in my stomach that was bleeding and causing me to be anaemic.” 

Interior of a tanning bed. Image: dpa picture alliance archive / Alamy Stock Photo

Ms Costello’s doctor told her there was improved treatments for skin cancer in recent years, but no cure. 

“I am terminal, so I really don't know how long I have left,” she said. “My doctor said [treatment] works usually, on average, for about two years for some people.”

'It's really not worth it'

Ms Costello urged people to never use sunbeds. 

“I'd say to anyone that's thinking of using them, it's really not worth it,” she said. 

Prof Ryan said it is “only with time we’ve realised how dangerous sun beds are”. 

“Sunbeds are still available,” she said. “I can’t understand how they’re still legal when we know how dangerous tanning beds are for our skin.” 

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