Skin expert issues sunbathing warning - and answers if it is ever safe to do

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A top Manchester dermatologist has issued a sunbathing warning to adults and children alike as the summer holiday season hots up.

Families are jetting abroad for sun-kissed holidays, with baking temperatures being recorded across Europe. Many will want to return with a glow, but Dr Tim Clayton has issued a warning and answered the question of whether lounging around on a sunbed is ever truly safe. "As UV rays from the sun reach our skin, they stimulate the production of melanin, a pigment responsible for giving our skin its colour, said Dr Clayton, a consultant dermatologist at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester city centre. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features. "Melanin acts as a natural defence mechanism, as it absorbs UV radiation and helps protect the skin from damage.

Increased melanin production leads to tanning of the skin, which is the body's way of trying to shield itself from further UV exposure." Dr Clayton warns the longer a person is exposed to the sun, the worse the impact and damage may be. "Excessive and unprotected sun exposure, especially with frequent sunburns, increases the likelihood of developing skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma," he added.

And even if a tan develops without any visible signs of sunburn over a shorter period of time, DNA in skin cells can still be damaged. "The DNA damage caused by UV radiation increases the risk of skin cancer, including the most dangerous form, melanoma," added Dr Clayton. "Sunbathing, even with the use of sunscreen, still carries some risks.