Bali R, Ji-Xu A, Felton SJ, et al. - The findings imply that doctors should be more cautious when counselling patients who are at a higher risk of sunbed use, with risk variables including older age, female sex, a long duration of acne diagnosis, and having previously been offered blue-light therapy as a medical treatment.

• Over a quarter (26%) of respondents utilised sunbeds, with 72% using them at least weekly.

• Sunbed users were more likely to be older, female, have a longer duration of acne diagnosis, and have previously been offered blue-light therapy by their doctor, with reasons for use including recommendations from external sources (including the Internet), perceived greater efficacy compared with physician-prescribed treatments, and the fact that light therapy was not offered by the dermatologist.

• Nearly half of the respondents (49%) were taking isotretinoin at the time of sunbed use, which puts them at a higher risk of photosensitivity and sunburn.

• Dermatologists have a responsibility to close this gap in public awareness by personally counselling patients who are at risk of using sunbeds, especially those who are taking oral retinoid therapy (isotretinoin) at the same time.