Most people know about the damaging effects on skin from long exposure to the sun.

Some think they can avoid direct contact with the sun and still get a deep, rich tan safely in a salon. However, they might not be that safe indoors on a sunbed either.

Last week, the European Union (EU) warned that some tanning beds and operators violate safety regulations, putting users at risk of skin cancer.

The EU's executive arm said that just over 14 per cent of sunbeds violate radiation safety limits and that tanning salons often fail to warn clients of the dangers of UV radiation while using the machines.

'I am concerned that a high percentage of sunbeds and sunbed services were found not to respect safety rules," EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner John Dalli said in a statement.

'This is an important health concern as the incidence of skin cancer is doubling every 15 to 20 years," he said.

Tanning beds have been ranked one of the greatest cancer threats to humans by an international research group, Reuters reported.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified the ultraviolet-emitting beds in its highest cancer risk category, labelling them 'carcinogenic to humans".

The executive European Commission said tests on 500 sunbeds in 10 EU countries including Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland had found that one in seven breached safety limits.

It said consumers were not always informed of hazards such as burning or the long-term risk of skin cancer, while some permitted underage usage.

Britain early this year backed calls for under-18s to be banned from using sunbeds in tanning salons due to the increased risk of skin cancer.

Some countries and states in the United States regulate the multi-billion-dollar tanning industry, with some banning teenagers from using sunbeds or requiring consent from their parents or a doctor.

In the 27 nations of the EU, sunbeds have to comply with a low voltage directive which limits ultraviolet radiation to 0.3 watt per square metre.

Tanning beds or sunbeds are often used in countries in the northern hemisphere, particularly during winter when people have no other solution to getting a tan. However, tanning salons have also gained popularity in tropical climates as busy people look to this quick-fix solution to a suntan.

The New York Daily News reported last month that the US Food and Drug Administration believes tanning beds have real health risks. It will discuss stricter policies and guidelines governing their use next month.

The agency's concerns are in line with those from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Last year, WHO declared that tanning beds definitely cause skin cancer.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times.