Health Issues

Over-exposure to the sun can cause accelerated ageing, skin cancer, cataract and other eye disorders.

The following information is from Sunsmart (Cancer Research UK) and Melanoma Foundation UK:

About Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK and the number of people who get it is increasing. Most skin cancers are caused by damage from UV (ultraviolet) rays in the sunlight or sunbeds. Many of these cancers could be prevented if we protect ourselves from the sun.

A Serious Problem:

• In 2014 over 147,000 people were diagnosed with skin cancer in the UK of which 15,419 were diagnosed with malignant melanoma (Source)
• Around 2,500 people died from malignant melanoma in the UK in 2014.
• Incidences of melanoma skin cancer have more than doubled since the 1990s.

In fact, there are more skin cancer deaths in the UK than in Australia, even though Australia has more cases of the disease.

For more statistical information see: Statistics

Types of Skin Cancer

There are two main types of skin cancer:

• Malignant melanoma - the most serious and potentially fatal type of skin cancer.
• Non-melanoma skin cancer - more common and easily treated.

For more information about Skin Cancer refer to:

Skin & Cancer Foundation Inc in Australia: http://www.skincancer.asn.au

Sunsmart UK (Cancer Research UK): http://www.sunsmart.org.uk

MacMillan Cancer Support:http://www.macmillan.org.uk/

Recent progress in treating melanoma:Cancer Research

Topical:http://www.bbc.co.uk/