| |
Skin cancer is very common. In
the UK, around 46,000 new cases are reported every year and
the
numbers are rising. The main cause of skin cancer is over exposure
to the sun or sun tanning
equipment. Skin cancer mainly affects adults, however sunburn
during childhood does increase
the risk of developing the disease in later life. For this reason
it is very important that children are
protected from excessive sun exposure. Babies under 6 months
should be kept out of the sun
entirely. Some people are more prone to sunburn than others
depending on their skin type. Those
with very pale or freckled skin are most at risk.
However, the good news is that four out of five cases of skin
cancer could be easily prevented. To
look after your skin use the Sun Code at home and abroad:
| S |
eek Shade at the hottest part of the day
- between 11am and 3pm. |
| H |
ats on and cover up with T-shirts and
sunglasses. |
| A |
pply sunscreen - Use Factor 15 or above
for high protection and apply thickly and often (every
2-3 hours). |
| D |
on't Burn - It will damage your skin and
won't improve your tan. |
| E |
xercise care - keep babies and children
out of strong sun and apply sunscreen regularly. |
Download our 'Be Sunsible' training pack. |
