A suncream warning has been issued as cases of skin cancer are set for record high.
Cancer Research UK has said people need to do more to protect themselves this summer as the melanoma rate continues to rise.
The charity has warned that there will be a spike in cases, with 20,800 diagnosed cases predicted for this year – an increase from 19,300 a year between 2020 and 2022.
Diagnosis rates went up by a third between 2009 and 2019 – from 21 to 28 cases per 100,000 people.
This is believed to be in part due to an increasingly ageing population and more awareness around the signs of skin cancer.
Around 17,000 melanoma cases are preventable every year, with nine in ten caused by exposure to too much UV radiation.
CRUK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, says survival from cancers including melanoma continues to improve, “demonstrating the substantial progress made possible by research”.
But it is vital that people try to reduce their risk of getting the disease in the first place, she adds.
“Make sure to take care in the sun and contact your GP if you notice any unusual changes to your skin – whether a new or changing mole, a sore that doesn’t heal, or an area of your skin that looks out of the ordinary. Spotting cancer early can make all the difference.”
The NHS’s sun safety tips: