Chantelle Houghton has started noticing sun damage on her skin.

The 29-year-old glamour model has cut back on using sunbeds and natural sun bathing since she was pregnant with her baby daughter Dolly - who she had with ex-fiancé Alex Reid - even though it is still a popular beauty regime in her home town of Essex.

Writing in her new! magazine column, she revealed: ''I read last week that a third of all tanning salons in the UK closed down last year because the appeal of a tan is fading. Not in Essex it isn't! Spray tans are still as popular as ever, but I think everyone is a bit more wary of using sunbeds these days.

''I used to go on sunbeds between three and four times a week before I was pregnant with Dolly, and I've just started to notice that I've got dark spots on my cheeks and chin where my skin has been sun damaged.''

With concerns about tanning and the long-term dangers associated with it - including cancer - Chantelle prefers to tan out of a bottle as it is safer and easier option.

She added: ''It's really bad. I don't even enjoy sitting in the sun anymore. Years ago, I'd literally sunbathe until the sun went down. I think it's easier - and safer - to top up your tan using fake tan products.''