Irish woman issues stark warning after using sunbeds for years

Karrieann McDonnell is urging Irish women to stay away from sunbeds

Karrieann discussed her former addiction to sunbeds during her appearance on the Irish show in a bid to raise awareness.

She hopes her story will encourage others to stop using sunbeds, as they've caused lifelong issues for the personal trainer.

Karrieann explained that she was addicted to using sunbeds because it was normalised in the 1990s.

She told the Ireland AM team that using sun beds was common in her industry, so she "quickly took to the sunbed."

"Loads of people were using it, men and women, and sure, I had to follow the trend. Looking back, I was pale-skinned with freckles and strawberry blonde, the complete opposite of how people looked in the industry, so I quickly took to the sunbed," she said.

Karrieann said she started off by using sunbeds around three times a week. She started off with five-minute sessions but then built it up to 20 minutes.

She said she was addicted to using sunbeds, but the information about how harmful they are wasn't as accessible in the 1990s as it is today.

Karrieann shared, "The knowledge was not there then as it is now."

In 2010, Karrieann's doctors found an ulcer on her leg and she had to have it removed, but she continued using sunbeds.

Another mark then appeared on her breast, and this was the wake-up call she needed.

"They put a big needle down into my armpit with dye to check if it was cancerous. Thankfully, it wasn't, and I had that removed."

She explained that she has had 19 legions removed from her body over the years.

The excessive use of sunbeds led to basal cell carcinomas, the most common but least aggressive form of skin cancer.

"They are the most common but least aggressive of skin cancers. That said, skin damage leads to the basal cell carcinomas, they grow deeper if not removed. They are really caused from over use of UV on sunbeds and the sun. I have had quite a few BCCs."

"What I would normally do on my hands, I get a file and I have to file down. Because they are raised, and people think they are freckles."

Read more: Public urged to stop using sunbeds as expert describes them as ‘cancer tubes’