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A wee bit of frolicking in the sun – no harm done right?                                               
A recent survey showed that nearly half of Britons got sunburnt this summer and many would be willing to do so again to get a tan.

A poll of 2,000 people established that an alarming 46% had sunburn this year, and a third of these were tan-seekers. Of these tanners, more than a third said they did the same each year and a third said they would again, the Cancer Research UK and Superdrug study found.

Even though burning increases the risk of skin cancer and can produce ill effects such as sunstroke and blistered skin, many people find the risk worthwhile, the poll of 2,000 people showed.

The incidence of melanoma has gone up by more than four times since the 1970s and now totals more than 10,300 new cases a year. Over 2,500 people die from skin cancer each year in the UK, and approximately 2,000 of these deaths are from malignant melanoma. Melanoma is one of the few cancers to affect young adults and is the second most common cancer amongst 15-34 year olds. But a person’s risk of developing melanoma increases with age. Despite this, a third of the people surveyed said they didn't take any steps to protect their skin. Four in every 10 people said they had not realised the sun would be strong enough to burn. 

Ed Yong of Cancer Research UK, said the results show that people are not taking the risks of sun exposure seriously enough."Getting painful sunburn just once every two years can triple the risk of melanoma; the most serious type of skin cancer. Whether at home or abroad, use shade, clothing and plenty of sunscreen to protect yourself" he said.

People with fair skin, light-coloured eyes, red or fair hair are at higher risk of burning as are those with lots of moles or freckles, a history of sunburn or a family history of skin cancer. Those with naturally brown or black skin have more melanin pigment in their skin cells which helps protect the skin from damaging UV rays making them less susceptible to develop skin cancer. However, skin cancer can still affect people with brown or black skin - most common on parts of the body that aren’t often exposed to the sun such as the soles of the feet. Skin cancer, like most cancers are much easier to treat if it is found early.