Ireland has the highest per capita use of fake tan in the world: effect on dermatology clinics

Abstract

Abstract Ireland has the highest per capita users of fake tan in the world. We have very often seen the effect of this in our Dermatology clinics. We analysed the number of patients presenting with fake tan to our pigmented lesion clinics, which results in unnecessary rescheduling, further patient anxiety and delay in diagnoses, as well as increasing patient waiting lists. We have included images of the effect of fake tan on dermoscopy and in vivo confocal microscopy – complicating our ability to diagnose. We implemented a change in our practice, which we hope will improve this dilemma.