you may need to know about

Sun Safety

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in this country. There are more than 50,000 new cases of skin cancer and 2,000 deaths each year. It is almost always caused by the sun.

Most skin cancers are curable and treatment is improving all the time. But it's better to avoid it in the first place by following the sun safety code

Experts say that four out of five people who die from skin cancer could have prevented it if they'd followed the code when they were younger.

Types of skin cancer

There are two types of skin cancer:

Malignant melanoma

Non-melanoma

What are the risks

The main risk factors for getting skin cancer are:

the colour of your skin

People with fair skin, lots of freckles or moles, or with fair or red hair are most at risk in the sun. People with brown or black skin are at much lower risk and generally do not need protection in the UK. You can work out your risk using the Solar UV Index and watching the weather forecast on TV.

how long you spend uncovered in strong sunlight.

Long exposure to the sun and getting sunburnt as a child or teenager are major risk factors for getting skin cancer in later life.

Of course you don't need to hide from the sun. Moderate sunshine is good for your skin as it helps your body to produce vitamin D, which you also get from the food you eat. In fact, people who rarely go out into the sun, or who cover their whole bodies in clothes, may need Vitamin D supplements.

On the increase

The increase in skin cancer in the UK is mostly because of changes in sunbathing habits. More people go on holidays abroad and participate in outdoor activities. Many people also think a tan looks healthy and attractive, while in earlier times it was fashionable to be pale. Some fashion models are now deliberately going for the pale look, but most magazines are still full of tanned models.

How does it happen

When skin is exposed to the sun, it produces a pigment called melanin. Melanin is what gives your skin its colour. Dark skin has naturally high levels of melanin, but pale skin has much less and only produces it as a 'defence' when exposed to sunlight. This slight darkening (or suntan) is a sign that the skin has been damaged. This reaction is caused by the ultra-violet radiation in the sun's rays.