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SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Health | Classes in fake tanning for Scottish pupils

In a country where sunshine is about as common as wild haggis, it is probably not surprising that many Scots seek artificial help to rid themselves of pasty complexions. But such is the desire to have a tan among Scottish schoolchildren that schools are calling in beauty experts to offer advice on how to apply fake tan to stop pupils nipping out for a sunbed session in their dinner break.

Glasgow has more sunbeds per head of population than any other city in the UK. But generally fair-skinned Scots are particularly vulnerable to skin cancer and 125 Scots are diagnosed with the disease every week, a rate of incidence higher than that in Australia.

The fake tanning training scheme was launched after staff at Thomas Muir high school in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, noticed pupils coming into afternoon lessons looking as if they had just stepped off a Majorcan beach. The school nurse, Liz Ratter, was so concerned about the risk of skin cancer among the pupils that she contacted a fake tan company.

In the first of a series of such sessions, Lisa Fulton, a training expert with Fake Bake, will give pupils tips on how to apply fake tan next week. Ms Fulton also plans to tell the pupils about her celebrity clientele, in the hope that stars will have influence where health experts do not.

"We will be giving little tips to the pupils on how to apply their tan, but we also hope that by telling them about all the celebrities who use tanning products it will encourage them to save their skins for when they are older," said Sandra McClumpha, UK managing director of Fake Bake. She plans to run a campaign called Save Your Skin in schools across Scotland before extending it to the rest of the UK.