Just FIVE sunburns as a child increases your risk of deadly skin cancer by 80 per cent
It only takes a handful of slip-ups to leave kids more likely to suffer in later life
SUNBURN is painful and uncomfortable and we all know it can cause lasting skin damage.
With the UK basking in glorious sunshine and many of us heading off for summer holidays, the dangers of getting frazzled are at their height.
But just how many times do you have to be sunburnt before your risk of getting skin cancer is significantly increased?
Could one holiday slip-up be condemning kids to a high risk of the deadly disease, or is it more?
Actually, the answer is just FIVE.
A study published recently in The Journal of Cancer Research, in the US, found that five “blistering sunburns” in childhood can increase your risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 80 PER CENT.
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Dr Natalie Azar told Today: “Sun exposure is dangerous for everybody but people with the highest risk are redheads and those with moles and skin that freckles or burns easily.
“For parents that means they have to be extra careful and protect their kids from sunburn to reduce the risk of melanoma as they grow up.”
To keep your kids safe this summer, experts advise avoiding too much sun exposure, always wearing sunscreen and staying in the shade whenever possible, especially when the sun is at its hottest.
