Charity warn not enough women use sun tan lotion

A survey by Macmillan Cancer Support has suggested that not enough women in the UK are planning to use sun tan lotion when they go on holiday this year. The health warning from the charity and aimed at women that prefer to look cosmetically attractive to caring for their health.

The survey included 1,500 women and 22% of them said that they don’t use sun tan lotion when they go on holiday in a hot country. The reasons given for not using it included the belief that their skin doesn’t burn, expensive lotion and the belief that sun tan lotion doesn’t work.

The charity have raised concerns that nearly a quarter of female holidaymakers are putting themselves at risk of skin cancer.

Figures from Cancer Research UK indicate that over 11,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, and over 2,500 people die from it. It is estimated that the lifetime risk of developing skin cancer in men is 1 in 61, whilst for women it is 1 in 60.

Further figures from the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) indicate that over 90% of British people have suffered from sunburn at least once. A third of people have been sunburnt over ten times in their lives.

A spokesperson for BAD said: “Not everyone’s skin offers the same level of protection in the sun, which is why it’s really important to get to know your own risk level. For example, people with pale skin who burn easily or those with a close family history of skin cancer are at greater risk of sun damage and need to take extra steps to protect themselves.”