THE current spell of hot weather in Britain has led to the Met Office issuing its first ever “extreme heat warning.” Aside from the damaging effects of the heat, another danger of sunny weather is ultraviolet radiation (UV).

UV damages the skin, leading to sunburn and potentially to skin cancer. The form of cancer most associated with sun damage is melanoma, where melanocytes (skin cells which produce pigment) begin uncontrolled growth, forming tumours that start shallow but can spread to the rest of the body.

Increases in temperature such as we are currently enduring have no direct effect on the risk of sunburn. However, clear skies that are free of clouds to absorb some of the UV radiation and the urge to spend more time outdoors soaking up the rays both contribute to a greater risk of high UV exposure.