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Britons Willing to Risk Cancer for a 'Healthy' Glow

New research reveals 70% of people feel better about their appearance and more confident when they have a tan yet 88% admit they know they are more likely to age with exposure to the sun.
Health, Leisure, Lifestyle - 21 May 2010   Download IconContent available for download:  
Audio | Interview with Gill Godsell| Login to Download

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  News Hooks:

New research for 2010 reveals that 80% of the harm that causes ageing to the face is from photo damage which occurs from overexposure to the elements, including the wind and sun.

70% of people feel better about their appearance and more confident when they have a tan but 88% know they are more likely to age with exposure to the sun. 61% are worried about the effects of over exposure to the sun on their looks.

87% of women believe that they’re more aware of the effects of sunbathing now than they were in the 1980s but on average we still spend around 2.7 hours in the sun everyday, 11% of us without sunscreen. This leads to 60% of us burning at least once while on holiday.

. Introduction:

New research reveals that we feel more informed about the dangers of the sun now than we did during the 1980s but still aren’t taking the precautions necessary to protect ourselves from sun damage and premature ageing. Over one in 10 of us still don’t wear sunscreen and the majority of us admit to burning at least once while we’re away on holiday. We admit that having a tan makes us feel better about our appearance and more confident but in the long run, we’re likely to end up looking much worse.

Why do we continue to risk our skin despite knowing more about the damage we’re doing to ourselves?

Joining us in the studio is Gill Godsell, Skin Cancer Nurse and Specialist

. Suggested Questions:

How many people in our area are risking the beauty and health of their skin while on holiday?

Why are people still taking these risks despite feeling better informed about the potential beauty and health implications of overexposure to the sun?

Why is the sun so damaging to the skin?

What advice do you have for holiday-makers this year?

What factor should we be wearing when we’re abroad?

Where can we find out more information?