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Sunburn cases soar in July heat

The UK has been blessed with some fantastic weather in the opening months of July, but it seems a worrying number of people may be letting sunburn spoil their fun.

A new survey by Asda has revealed a shocking 73 per cent of Brits got burnt last week (July 8th-14th 2013).

The supermarket undertook the research as part of its Don’t Get Burnt campaign, which is being carried out with the British Skin Foundation and aims to raise awareness about the dangers of being exposed to strong sunlight.

With nearly three-quarters of the 1,072 people surveyed admitting they got burnt, it’s unsurprising Asda reported a 281 per cent increase in aftersun sales, as well as a 158 per cent rise in the number of aloe vera products being bought.

Furthermore, researchers from the supermarket recently visited Brighton beach and found that just five per cent of people enjoying the sunshine were wearing any form of suncream whatsoever. This is despite the temperature reaching 23 degrees C.

While it’s perfectly understandable that Brits want to make the most of the warm weather, getting burnt can do more than simply make your skin go an embarrassing and uncomfortable shade of red.

Sunburn is scientifically proven to increase the chances of contracting skin cancer and the level of risk is particularly severe in children.

Healthcare expert Dr Dawn Harper, who is supporting Asda’s campaign, commented: “Shockingly, allowing your child to play in the sun unprotected is a much higher risk than allowing them to smoke a cigarette – just ten minutes in strong sun can be all it takes for the sun’s UVB rays to burn the skin.”

While the figures revealed by Asda are undoubtedly worrying, the good news is that staying safe in the sun is easy. Keeping your skin covered where possible and regularly applying sun cream will go a long way to ensuring you’re protected.

Another great way to stay safe is to relax underneath a shade sail, these canopies are manufactured to block up to 98.8 per cent of harmful UV rays and represent the ideal way to enjoy the outdoors.


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