Sunburn warning as Public Health England urge people to wear suncream after surge in hospitalisations

A sunburn warning has been issued for the UK after a spike in hospitalisations as British people struggled to cope with the heatwave.

Public Health England has urged people who go out in the sun to “use common sense” and protect themselves from damaging UV rays, after 220 people were hospitalised in Northern Ireland over the past two months.

The health agency in Ireland issued a warning that one episode of sunburn could double the risk of malignant melanoma, after the Belfast Trust saw the highest number of patients, with 69 needing treatment for sunburn.

There are worries more could be admitted to hospital across the United Kingdom as the hot and sunny weather shows no sign of ending.

Forecasters have warned that next week could be the hottest yet of the summer, with highs of 35 degrees in the South East by the end of the week.

Professor John O’Hagan, of Public Health England, said: “Our advice is to think about what you’re doing in the sun and use some common sense - know the limits of your own skin, don’t stay out in strong sunshine for too long, wear wraparound sunglasses, wear a hat, cover up with light clothing and if you need to, seek shade during the hottest parts of the day and use sunscreen that’s at least factor 15, which also has good UV-A protection.”

The British Skin Foundation (BSF) has warned that British people are missing crucial areas when they apply suncream, putting them at risk of skin cancer.

Forgotten areas include the backs of the knees, the ears, underarms and around the hairline.

Matthew Patey, CEO of BSF, commented: “The rise in hospital admissions for sunburn isn’t surprising as the current heatwave continues.  However, it is avoidable and by following a few simple steps people can prevent not only a visit to A&E but also the harmful long term effects  of sun exposure. 

“If outdoors it is advisable to wear loose fitting clothing and to use an SPF 30+ sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection on exposed areas of skin.  Wear a hat and always seek out shade especially during the hottest times of the day.  

“Children especially must be protected from the sun and wear an SPF 50 sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection with those below the age of 3  being kept out of direct sunlight altogether.  Remember to regularly reapply your sunscreen and stay hydrated.  Above all people should enjoy the heatwave but always respect the sun and their skin at the same time.”

Over a quarter of British people do not wear suncream at all, YouGov has found in a new study.

The polling company discovered 27 per cent of respondents do not wear it. The majority of those who do stick to factor 30 (26 per cent) and just 9 per cent wear a factor as low as 15.

The heatwave is set to continue this weekend, with the Met Office predicting a record summer if trends continue.

Temperatures are expected to hit 30 degrees on Saturday, and the hot, dry weather will continue into early next week.

Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall said: "It's a very warm weekend with plenty of fine, dry weather around, with the exception being a little bit of cloud in western Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"But otherwise a good deal of fine, dry weather and very warm if not hot conditions."