Warnie’s rumoured love interest recreates Kim Kardashian’s ‘break the internet’ shoot

THE sun is about to set on commercial solariums with tanning beds to be banned around Australia from the end of December due to skin cancer risk.

But not everyone is supporting it — including Shane Warne’s rumoured love interest, swimwear model Kirsty Lee.

Lee, 30, has recreated Kim Kardashian’s famous Paper magazine booty shoot, vowing to “break the (solarium) ban, not the internet”.

The Melbourne model and swimwear designer is speaking out against the ban, saying tanning bed users should have the right to choose whether to use them.

But this has prompted strong opposition from skin cancer experts, who say “no solarium is safe”.

Commercial solariums will be forced to close within weeks — from January 1, 2015. The ban affects all states except the Northern Territory. Western Australia is yet to determine when the ban comes into force.

According to Sun Smart figures, about 281 melanomas, 43 melanoma-related deaths, and 2572 squamous cell carcinomas a year in Australia are caused by solarium use — costing the healthcare system around $3 million.

Lee, who once worked at a solarium, said she uses a tanning bed every three weeks, paying $9 or $11 each session to spend up to 13 minutes in it.
“With the ban, you’re taking away my choice as a consumer,” Lee said, admitting to having her sun spots and moles checked about every three to six months.

“It’s our choice ... whether we use a solarium or not, just like with smoking or drinking.

“We still have that choice by the government, they haven’t banned that and yet they frown upon using a solarium.”

Cancer Council Australia public health committee chairman Craig Sinclair strongly denied the suggestion that solariums could be used in moderation, saying “no solarium is safe”. 

“Given the very direct relationship between sun-bed use and melanoma risk, she’s certainly putting her health at risk,” Sinclair said.

“We know that sunbeds can emit up to three times the strength of the midday summer sun.
“They are really putting their bodies under stress with the intensity of the UV and if they continue to do it on a regular basis, there’s without doubt significant damage occurring as a result.”

Figures show more than 60 per cent of young Aussies no longer “desire a tan”, Sinclair said. And top modelling agencies have already enforced a zero tolerance policy on their models using solariums.

Sinclair said solarium operators had been given ample notice about the impending tan ban, with many businesses already switching their focus from sollies to spray tans.

But the ban may not stop the most committed tan addicts.

Lee concedes she’ll switch to fake tan once the ban is enforced in about three weeks but said she was aware of tan addicts who had bought their own sunbeds for private use.

“There’s a few people who have solariums themselves that they’ve bought and they have them in their homes — I think they’re like $8000. I wouldn’t go that far,” Lee said.

“That’s where the problem is — if they’re going to ban it, people are going to go to other extremes by buying the solariums themselves and using them.”

While working in the solarium industry, Lee said she witnessed customers who were “obsessed on getting brown and after a while, they’re so used to the colour that they don’t think they’re brown any more” but said she didn’t fall into that category. 

And what about those reports that Lee and spin king Warnie are dating? The pair have been seen out together on Melbourne’s social scene.

“We’re just friends,” Lee said, adding she’s known Warne for seven years.

“He’s extremely fun, he’s your Aussie bloke, it’s always a good night when we go out,” she said.

“That’s about it. He’s good fun and he’s so down to earth.”

News Credit: News.com,au