A doctor on This Morning issued advice to anyone sunbathing this summer.
Merseyside has been hit with scorching sunshine as temperatures hit over 30C this weekend. Ellie Cannon appeared on today's edition of ITV's flagship daytime programme and urged people to be careful in the sweltering weather.
Dr Ellie was concerned at how many people she had spotted with sunburn over recent weeks. She said any exposure to UV rays increases the risk of skin cancer and shared tips of what we can do to protect ourselves.
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She said: "Everybody should know this. Suncream needs to have both UVA and UVB protection. Please wear sun cream
"We can all put cream on. We can all put a t-shirt and hat on. We can keep out of the sun between the 11 and 3 hours." Dr Ellie also urged parents to be careful with their children.
She added: "A lot of the skin cancer risks comes from childhood. As a child in the 80s, my parents used to shove me out in the sun because they thought it was good for me so please don't do that."
Dr Ellie also spoke on the show about how people can spot the early symptoms of skin cancer. The expert explained when doctors become concerned moles could be dangerous.
She said: "It's what we call in medicine as an ugly duckling. You probably know what moles look like on your own skin and if there's one that just stand out a bit.
"It might not have have a normal colour and it might have an edgy border. It might change the way it feels."
Dr Ellie explained doctors used the ABCDE acronym to determine if a mole is dangerous. According to the NHS' website : "The ABCDE checklist should help you tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma". It adds:
- Asymmetrical – melanomas usually have 2 very different halves and are an irregular shape
- Border – melanomas usually have a notched or ragged border
- Colours – melanomas will usually be a mix of 2 or more colours
- Diameter – most melanomas are usually larger than 6mm in diameter
- Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma
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