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Child sunburn cases at Swansea's Welsh burns hospital prompts warning

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Parents have been warned to protect their children against sunburn

Parents have been warned about the dangers of the sun as three children have been treated at Wales' specialist burns unit in the last two days.

Forecasters predict that Wales could see its hottest day of 2021 this weekend as temperatures may reach 30C.

The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery has issued a sun warning.

"One blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life," said dermatology nurse Hannah Brew.

The burns centre at Swansea's Morriston Hospital has said it has seen three children with sunburn "to fairly large areas of their bodies" in two days.

"As you can imagine, it's quite painful and could have been avoided if they had applied protection," said a spokesman for the centre run by Swansea Bay health board.

Doctors have advised parents to encourage children to play in the shade as much as possible, wear hats and long sleeves, and apply regular applications of sun cream to the skin.

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"It's also important to apply sun cream regularly and to keep hydrated," said Dr Zoe Lee.

How hot will the weather be in Wales this weekend?

Wales is expected to see plenty of sunshine in the next few days with BBC Wales' senior meteorologist Derek Brockway saying temperatures could peak in Cardiff at around 30C.

Form most in Wales, the current so-called heatwave coincides with children finishing school for the summer holiday.

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How can you protect your child from the sun?

  • Spend time in the shade during the sunniest part of the day when the sun is at its strongest, which is usually between 11:00 BST and 15:00 in the summer months.
  • Avoid direct sun exposure for babies and very young children.
  • When it is not possible to stay out of the sun, keeping yourself well covered, with a hat, T-shirt, and sunglasses can give you additional protection. You can buy specialist children's sun protection clothing as well.
  • Apply sunscreen liberally to exposed areas of skin. Re-apply every two hours and straight after swimming or towelling to maintain protection.

* Source: The Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery

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The warning comes as a heat-health warning has been issued for England as temperatures are predicted to surge at the weekend, with the Met Office issuing a level two heat-health alert until Tuesday.

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Welsh beaches are expected to be busy over the next few days

"Most of us do enjoy getting out in the sun, when we get chance and a break from the rain, and sunshine isn't always bad," added Ms Brew.

"However, we must be careful because solar ultraviolet radiation is known to be carcinogenic to humans and can pass through clouds, glass, and clothing."

What is the cancer risk from the sun?

There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma - and specialists say major factors in the formation of these cancers is sun exposure and the use of tanning beds.

Getty Images sunscreen being applied to a child's faceGetty Images
Parents are advised to apply sunscreen liberally and re-apply every two hours

"Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer and is now one of the most common cancers in young adults aged 15-34 in the UK," said Ms Brew.

"More than 80 per cent of all skin cancers are caused by over-exposure to the sun and/or sun beds. If you are in any doubt whether you may have skin cancer, then check it out with your GP."