Britons ‘do not understand health risks of sunburn’

A public health charity has raised concerns that many people in the UK are unaware of the risks posed by sunburn, as well as the steps they should take to avoid them.

According to the British Skin Foundation, many believe that tanned skin is a sign of health, rather than one of skin damage, as well as incorrectly assuming that getting sunburn will develop into a tan.

The organisation’s Bevis Man also expressed worry over Teenage Cancer Trust figures suggesting that a majority of UK teenagers believe they cannot be burned on a cloudy day, despite the fact that UV rays can penetrate through cloud cover.

Mr Man stated that all of these factors are increasing the risk of skin cancer among many British people, as well as conditions such as sun-induced skin ageing.

Other figures from the Teenage Cancer Trust research revealed that almost a third of 13-19-year-olds admitted to never using protective sun cream.