Models who use sunbeds have been banned from strutting the catwalk during a city’s fashion week.
Liverpool Fashion Week is enforcing a strict no-sunbed rule which will mean only models who have never used, or pledge not to use sunbeds, can be involved.
The ban is part of a move to encourage young girls in the city, notorious for their permatan look, to be more aware of the dangers of skin cancer.
Liverpool Fashion Week has pledged not to employ models who use sunbeds. The organisers hope this will show young people that they can look good without risking their health by using sunbeds
Half of 15 to 17-year-olds in the city say they have used sunbeds, compared to just 11 per cent nationally.
Amanda Moss, organiser of Liverpool Fashion Week said: ‘The health and wellbeing of our models is of paramount importance and we're delighted to be the first fashion week that has a complete ban on sunbed-using models.
‘We want our models to look their absolute best, which means not putting themselves at risk of skin cancer or premature ageing from the sunbeds.
‘We're also aware of just how many young girls in the city are using sunbeds and we hope that by showing how gorgeous our models look at this year's Liverpool Fashion Week, we will help sunbed users in the city realise they don't need to get on the beds to look great.
‘Our girls can still have that golden glow, but they'll get it from a bottle, not from the beds.’
Former Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon, from Liverpool, has admitted using sunbeds in the past and campaigned against their use
Using a sunbed just once a month has been proven to increase the risk of malignant melanoma, but almost half of sunbed users aged 11 to 17 in the city have admitted to using them at least once every week.
Models taking part in the fashion event will be made to sign a pledge agreeing to not use sunbeds during or after Liverpool Fashion Week, which runs from 14th to 19th October.
Victoria Jane Davies, a 31-year-old model from Liverpool, said: ‘The “Liverpool Look” is grounded in the belief that being tanned is beautiful and so there's this constant pressure to be tanned.
‘I started using the sunbeds from a young age, once or twice a week to ensure I looked and felt good. It's only as I've got older that my skin started to show the damaging effects of the sunbeds.
‘They enhanced my lines and wrinkles and gave me more moles and freckles. As a model, I have to always have my best face forward and going on the sunbeds could have really ruined that.’
Dr Paula Grey from Liverpool City Council said: ‘We can't ignore the significant problem that Liverpool has with young people using sunbeds compared to many other parts of the country.
‘Having the city's fashion elite ban sunbeds will really help to drive awareness for the cause and engage with young people in Liverpool who look up to the models they see on catwalks.’
Liverpool council's 'The Look to Die For?' campaign is being supported by Cancer Research UK and the local NHS.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2451113/Liverpool-Fashion-Week-organisers-ban-models-using-sunbeds-attempting-stop-copycat-skin-cancer.html#ixzz2hQy4kH88
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