STAY SAFE IN THE SUN THIS SUMMER

At home or abroad, your skin needs protection now more than ever

- LUCY ROBINSON

Summer is upon us, and it's more important than ever to practise sun safety.

Whether you're staying at home or heading off to a sun-soaked destination for your holidays, it's crucial to protect your skin especially when the sun is strong.

Each year, there are about 17,000 new cases of the most serious melanoma skin cancer diagnosed in the UK, making it the fifth most common cancer.

Research suggests that almost nine in 10 of these cases could have been prevented if people stayed safe in the sun and also avoided sunbeds.

"It's important to protect your skin from sun damage throughout the year, no matter the weather.

Sun exposure, even on a cloudy day, can cause sunburn, skin ageing, eye damage and skin cancer," explains Rachel Rawson, lead cancer nurse specialist at Perci Health (percihealth.com).

With rates of skin cancer in the UK "steadily rising", according to Rachel, there are a number of things that can increase a person's chances of getting the disease, such as their skin type, family history and past experience of getting sunburn.

"Your likelihood of getting skin cancer increases if you've got pale skin, fair hair and burn easily," says Dr Timothy Woodman, medical director of policy and cancer services at Bupa UK.