If the sun shines – take care!

IT’S early days yet and there is precious little sign of summer – but health chiefs in Warrington are warning about the dangers of getting too sunburned.
The message from Warrington Clinical Commission Group is to be careful and avoid sunburn.
Dr Sue Burke, clinical lead for cancer and a GP in the town, said: “Skin Cancer in all its forms is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in Warrington. It is caused by sun damage to the skin.
“We want you to enjoy the summer days safely – so never burn red in the sun.”
From 2007 to 2009, there were 522 skin cancer cases diagnosed among Warrington men and 415 cases among Warrington women.
Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer associated with exposure to the sun.
According to Cancer Research UK there were 2,209 deaths from malignant melanoma skin cancer in the UK in 2011.
Dr Burke said: “Use a sun cream with a high SPF – you should use a minimum SPF of 20 for adults.
“Avoid sitting in the sun at the hottest times of the day – between noon and 2pm.
“Wear loose clothing to cover exposed skin, and a hat.
“Ensure children are especially protected with SPF 50 cream, with loose clothing to cover their skin, hats, and use of shade when playing outside for long periods.”