Half of Britons get sunburnt – survey

Almost half of people got sunburnt this summer and many would be willing to risk it again in their search for a tan, according to a survey.

Some 46 per cent of people questioned got burnt over the holiday months, with 32 per cent of those saying they had been trying to get a tan.

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.

More than one in three (34 per cent) of those who were sunburnt said they would be a bit more careful next year but would still go out in the hope of getting a tan.

About 39 per cent of those who were red said they burn every year, while 41 per cent had not even been trying to get a tan but had not realised the sun was strong enough.

Around one in three of those who got sunburnt but had not wanted to tan had not taken any steps to protect their skin, such as covering up or using a high-factor sunscreen.

The poll, from Superdrug and Cancer Research UK, found the most common place to get burnt was on the face, followed by arms, shoulders and neck.

Superdrug pharmacist Martin Crisp said: “What’s particularly concerning is that people are setting out with the specific aim of getting sunburn because they see it as part of getting a tan.

“What they aren’t realising is that there is more going on in the skin than what you see on the surface and, while the sunburn and tan may fade, the damage does not.”

Ed Yong, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said: “Sunburn is a clear sign that your skin has been damaged in ways that can lead to skin cancer, a disease that’s affecting more and more people in the UK.

“While it’s important to enjoy the sun safely to get enough vitamin D, there are risks involved in long exposures. And these results indicate that people aren’t taking these risks seriously enough.

“Getting painful sunburn just once every two years can triple the risk of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.”

More than 10,300 cases of malignant melanoma are diagnosed in the UK every year and almost 2,000 people die from it.

People with fair skin 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.