Welcome the sun but be careful

Dr Dawn Harper from Embarrassing Bodies was in Leeds last week to launch Asda’s “Don’t Get Burnt”, which will challenge the UK Government to drive down the price of sun protection products.

She has given her support to an e-petition, launched by the supermarket, calling for a halt or reduction in the VAT charged on suncream. Under current UK tax law, people in the UK pay 20 per cent VAT on sunscreen as it is deemed a “luxury” item, rather than an essential health product.

“As the sun comes out everyone is keen to enjoy the fun that comes with it,” said Dr Harper. “However, Brits need to take sun protection seriously. Malignant melanoma is the fastest rising common cancer in the UK and is particularly high in younger people.

“Shockingly, allowing your child to play in the sun unprotected for just 10 minutes is a much higher risk than allowing them to smoke a cigarette – that can be all it takes for the sun’s UVB rays to burn the skin. Just one episode of sunburn can trigger melanoma.

“Regular use of sunscreen in the first 18 years of life can reduce the lifetime risk of non-melanoma skin cancers by 80 per cent, so we are asking Brits to stay safe and slap on a capful.” A recent survey from the supermarket reveals that 60 per cent of people in the North could be wearing out of date sunscreen and a further 55 per cent admitted they don’t apply sunscreen frequently enough, potentially exposing themselves to life-threatening sun damage.

Every year, more than 100,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with skin cancer and over 2,500 of those people lose their life as a result. Sun exposure is the main preventable cause of skin cancer.

Further findings reveal that over a quarter of those surveyed use sunscreen left over from the past two years which offers a fraction of the intended protection. Plus a shocking six per cent admitted they never apply sun protection, exposing themselves to dangerous UV rays and putting themselves at high risk of developing skin cancer.

British Skin Foundation spokesperson, Hermione Lawson added: “By the end of this summer, around 1,250 people in the UK will die from skin cancer. We support Asda’s ‘Don’t Get Burnt’ campaign to highlight the serious health risks posed from sun damage. What people often don’t realise is that skin cancer is largely a preventable disease, and along with clothing and shade, high factor sunscreen can help protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.”