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We love the sun – perhaps because we don’t see enough of it. But how many of us are sun safe?

How to stay safe in the sun

Too much sun is bad for us. There’s no such thing as a ‘healthy’ tan!

  • Enjoy the summer and stay sun safe by using the 5 S’s of sun safety
  • Slip on a t-shirt. Keep your shoulders covered, they can easily burn
  • Slop on sun cream. Use SPF 30 or above with lots of stars and preferably water resistant
  • Slap on a wide brimmed hat to shade your face, neck and ears
  • Slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays
  • Seek shade especially when the sun is at its strongest between 11am and 3pm

Know the signs and symptoms

It’s really important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of skin cancer and know how to spot something that’s not right. See our mole checker guide here.

Sun cream facts

Even though lots of us know how to stay safe in the sun using sun cream, we’re not always getting it right. Research has recently shown that 80% of us are using sun cream incorrectly! Here’s some trivia, tips and tricks on sun cream so you’re always safe in the sun.

Tanning beds

We know you might feel better when you’ve got a tan, but going brown is your skin’s way of telling you it’s getting damaged. When you use a tanning bed, your skin goes brown to protect itself from the damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. This is radiation – and is just as dangerous as being in the sun without protection. Tanning beds, sunlamps and tanning booths all give out dangerous UV rays. Find out more about tanning beds, here.

If you or someone you love has been affected by cancer, our free Support Line is there for you. Just call 0808 808 1010