Teens shun cancer risk for tan

Young people are ignoring lifesaving advice on sunbathing, experts warned today.

A survey for Cancer Research UK reveals that 70 per cent of 16-24-year-olds still want a tan on holiday.

The figures come in the wake of reports that cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have increased by 24 per cent in the past five years.

Dr Charlotte Proby, a dermatologist for Cancer Research, said: "Many teenagers have grown up with an obsession about getting a tan on holiday. But young skin is very vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation.

"Unless young people change their habits, and learn to protect themselves properly in the sun, we could be heading for a skin-cancer time bomb."

Dr Proby said almost 7,000 people in the UK were diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2000, and numbers were rising steadily.

"It is a largely preventable cancer and we need to ensure the public knows how it can reduce its risk," she added.

Experts say that while young people are aware of the dangers of holiday binge-drinking and unprotected sex, not enough is done to alert them to the dangers of irresponsible behaviour in the sun. Cancer Research and the Department of Health will focus on young people and mothers of young children in the second year of their joint SunSmart campaign.

Launched today, it will provide mothers with information on protecting babies and toddlers from the sun.

Older teenagers, especially those going abroad alone for the first time, will be encouraged to take proper protection for the sun.

Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson said: "When you consider that sunburn in childhood increases the risk of skin cancer in later life, the importance of this campaign really hits home."

The survey of 1,800 people aged over 16 also revealed that seven per cent listed "don't burn" as a means of reducing their risk of skin cancer, and just six per cent mentioned checking moles.

Nearly half those questioned liked, or aimed, to get a tan on holiday. This soared to 70.6 per cent among the 16-24 age group, of whom only 7.7 per cent avoid tanning-Cancer Research recently found that older teenagers and young adults holidaying abroad independently for the first time were particularly at risk.

Young women were the most likely to seek a suntan and often used sunscreen with low "sun-protection factor" levels.

One former sun-worshipper is 35-year-old Katie Fowler who blames her habits for the cancer that almost killed her.

She sunbathed frequently and topped up her tan by using sunbeds up to four times a week from the age of 15.

Ms Fowler, a desktop publisher, said: "When you're young, you just want a good tan - you don't think about the dangers.

"Then I noticed a mole on my foot was changing shape, and it was diagnosed as skin cancer.

"I was lucky. It can spread quite quickly through your body but luckily mine had not.

"I warn other women when I hear them talking about sunbeds, because the experience of being diagnosed with cancer is quite terrifying.

"I think high-protection-factor suncreams are essential but the key is moderation, people need to be aware of the risks."