While some sun is good for us – including helping our bodies to produce vitamin D – over-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays causes skin cancer, which is now the UK's most common and fastest-rising cancer (see box).
‘No matter your age, the best way to enjoy the sun safely and protect skin is to use shade, clothing and sunscreen,’ advises Dr Claire Knight, Cancer Research UK's senior health information manager. ‘Too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun can damage DNA. This can eventually cause skin cancer. In the UK, almost nine in ten cases of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, could be prevented by staying safe in the sun and avoiding sunbeds.
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