**Young Man Warns of Dangers of Sunbeds After Surviving Advanced Skin Cancer Aged Just 21**
A young man from Swansea has shared his harrowing experience of battling aggressive skin cancer at just 21 years old, after years of using sunbeds. Jak Howell is determined to raise awareness about the life-altering risks of tanning beds, warning others that skin cancer is far more serious than many people realise.
Jak began using sunbeds when he was only 16, a habit he kept up with troubling frequency—sometimes as often as five times per week, spending up to 18 minutes per session. At the time, Jak admits, he did not consider the dangers; like many young people, he was focused on achieving a bronzed appearance without thinking about the long-term implications for his health.
Everything changed suddenly for Jak in April 2021, when he noticed a patch of skin on his back that was persistently itchy and began to bleed. Due to pandemic restrictions, he contacted his GP by email, worried about this unusual symptom. Within hours, his doctor replied with urgent instructions: rather than come in for a routine appointment, he was told to go straight to hospital. This rapid response was Jak’s first indication that something was seriously amiss.
At Singleton Hospital in Swansea, Jak underwent a biopsy. Just ten days later, he received devastating news: the lesion was cancerous. More tests followed, and Jak was diagnosed with stage three advanced melanoma. In the space of just two months, the cancer had spread dramatically from his back through to his groin and chest.
Doctors questioned Jak about his lifestyle and exposure to risk factors. When he revealed his frequent use of sunbeds, his medical team told him they were nearly certain—“99.999 per cent sure”, in Jak’s words—that his tanning habit was responsible for the severity of his illness. Although they could not prove causation beyond doubt, Jak says the message was alarmingly clear.
Treatment for such advanced cancer was gruelling and the outcome was far from guaranteed. Jak underwent two surgeries to remove tumours from his lower back and leg, but the procedures were unsuccessful. Facing a life-threatening situation, he endured a year of immunotherapy—one of the last available options. Doctors warned Jak that without a positive response to the treatment, he might only have a year to live.
Fortunately, by December 2022, Jak received the news that he was free from cancer. However, his ordeal was far from over. The impact of cancer went far beyond his physical health; Jak describes his mental health decline in the aftermath as one of the most difficult challenges he has faced. Having lived in hospitals under the continuous care of medical staff, Jak found adjusting to life after treatment profoundly isolating and distressing.
Now, Jak is using his story to highlight not only the immediate dangers of sunbed use, but also the lesser-known mental health consequences of surviving cancer. He says: “Skin cancer isn’t just a mole being removed, it’s so much more complex than that.” He believes many people underestimate how life-changing a diagnosis can be—and how challenging the recovery journey is, especially when the emotional effects linger long after treatment is over.
Jak encourages anyone who may be concerned about their mental health after a cancer diagnosis to seek help and speak openly. He particularly emphasises the importance of men discussing their experiences, noting, “A problem shared is a problem halved. The biggest problem is you take it on yourself.”
As Jak continues to rebuild his life after cancer, he hopes his message will persuade others to reconsider using sunbeds, and to take skin health seriously from an early age. The lesson he learned, although traumatic, is both clear and urgent: the risk is real, and no tan is worth risking your life.