Sun Safety

The Facts

Every time a person is severely sunburnt their chances of getting skin cancer are seriously increased. The sun produces UV radiation which can damage not only the surface of the skin but the structures inside the skin and the function of skin causing mutations in the DNA of skin cells.

Although sunburn may appear to heal on the surface deep down the damage remains.

It is a myth that a tan is a sign of health.

Tanning is just the way in which the skin protects itself from further damage.

There are also certain situations where people do not expect sun damage to take place. These include:

		Swimming - UV radiation passes through water, which reflects the sunlight giving twice as much UV radiation

		In the shade - UV radiation can also be reflected here, increasing the risk of burning especially if the ground is bright and pale in colour

		Skiing - If you go high up a mountain, there is more UV and less atmosphere for the sun's rays to pass through.

		Cloudy days - Cloud is easily penetrated by UV. On a bright, hazy and cloudy days the levels of UV radiation can be as much as a sunny day.

		UK weather forecasters now use the solar UV index in the summer as a way of indicating how much UV from the sun is reaching the earth's surface and providing people with a means of assessing their risk of getting sunburnt.

To find out more information about Safety in the Sun click below:

Sun Safety


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