Shunburn 2011

Many young people don’t realise it's the damage done to skin when you're young that can lead to skin cancer in later life. Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the UK and cases amongst young people have doubled in the last 20 years. The most common cause of skin cancer is exposure to too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in the sun’s rays and sun beds. Protecting your skin from long term exposure to the sun’s harmful rays is vitally important.

The five easy steps to help you to enjoy the sun, more safely:

  • Put on sunscreen
  • Cover up your skin
  • Wear a hat or cap
  • Hit the shade between 11am and 3pm
  • Use sunglasses

Young Brits burning desire for status holiday tan

We questioned 16-24 year olds about their attitudes to sun safety when on beach holidays and found that many young Brits on holiday don’t wear suncream because they want a ‘status’ tan, and believe covering up is ‘uncool’.

Questions about suncream and sun safety advice when on holiday revealed …

  • 44% of young people are lying in the sun for hours
  • 60% of young people say they don’t always apply suncream
  • One in ten (11%) believe covering up skin on the beach is really uncool, and a fifth (17%) never cover up with sarongs or long sleeved tops because they want maximum sun exposure.
  • Of those that stayed in the UK, a third (30%) don’t bother with suncream in the UK at all

Questions on attitudes to holiday sun tans revealed…

  • 12% of 16-24 years olds believe a tan proves you go on holiday to nice places
  • Nearly half (40%) would be disappointed if they returned from holiday without a sun tan
  • Almost half (49%) of 16-24 year olds think people look healthier with a sun tan

Read our press release here

Jorgie Porter says...

This year Teenage Cancer Trust has teamed up with Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter to raise awareness of sun safety in the 16-24 age group and took part in a recent photo shoot to demonstrate the campaign’s key sun safety messages.

Jorgie said: “I also used to sizzle in the sun on holiday but now I cover up on the beach and use suncream on my face and body. No one fancies a life size pink prawn emerging from the sea and I’d much rather have a fake tan than wrinkly leathery skin or much worse, skin cancer when I’m older.”

The Burning Issue survey

We questioned 13-24 year olds on their attitudes to sunbeds, fake tans and sun cream and tested their knowledge of sun safety and skin cancer. Results showed...

  • Teenagers tan for twelve times the safe limit
  • Over a third (36%) of young people still do not wear sun cream in the UK even on hot days.
  • Over half (58%) do not know how to apply sun cream correctly – believing it should be rubbed in completely when for any sun cream to perform to its full UV protection rating it should be patted gently onto skin with a visible film left on the surface.
  • A fifth (21%) believes milk to be a higher source of vitamin D than the sun

Download the PDF to learn more...

Jameela Jamil says...

Jameela Jamil, TV presenter and Teenage Cancer Trust celebrity ambassador, says...

“When I was younger I associated a tan with beauty so I thought ‘oh I’m young it doesn’t matter, my skin will be fine, I don’t need suncream!’ But now I really wish I listened to my mum and just worn it because I’ve got these little white patches on my skin that are irreversible. They are even on my face and I can’t get rid of them. They won’t get worse as long as I don’t keep going in the sun but the point is they are there now and they are permanent. I really wish I had taken these simple precautions which would have saved me so much heartache.”

LOVE THE SUN, RESPECT YOUR SKIN

A five minute film presented by Channel 4’s T4 presenter Jameela Jamil talking about five easy ways to stay safe in the sun.

Download: A3 Poster

Stick up this poster in your school, college, common room, or form room...

Download: Leaflet

Give all your friends, colleagues, pupils a copy of this leaflet...

Download: Teaching Pack

This pack is designed to help you create interesting and engaging lessons around Teenage Cancer Trust’s five key sun safety messages and our mantra “Love the sun, respect your skin”...

Free Burn alerts

Sign up for our free text service...

Text SHUN to 80231 and you'll receive our free Burn Alert text service to get friendly reminders and useful tips whenever the sun is heading your way.

Aftersun

If you don't manage to avoid getting burnt in the sun, drink plenty of water to keep hydrated and use aftersun lotion on affected areas. If your burns are severe, seek advice from your pharmacist or GP.

Fake it!

Just one session a month on a sunbed can increase your risk of skin cancer by more than half.

Check out your local chemist or department store for fake tans that give great colour without the grave health risks. Fake tan products don't offer sun protection, so keep your five steps for sun safety in mind when you use them.

Sunbeds banned for under 18s

In 2010 Teenage Cancer Trust hosted a photo call outside parliament and lobbied MPs to vote in support of the Sunbed Regulatory Bill.

In 2011 the law preventing under 18’s using sunbeds finally came into effect!

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