ASOS partnership

• Why is sunburn bad news?
• What can I do to avoid sunburn?
• Who is most at risk?
• What is sunburn?

• Real stories
• About the partnership with ASOS
• More information

• Getting a painful sunburn just once every two years can triple the risk of malignant melanoma - the most serious type of skin cancer. Melanoma is the second most common cancer amongst people aged 15 – 34.
• The term 'sunburn' doesn't just refer to red-raw, peeling or blistering skin. If your skin has gone red in the sun, it's sunburnt.
• Over-exposure to UV rays causes skin damage that leads to premature ageing, leaving skin looking coarse, leathery and wrinkled before it's time
• Sunburn is a sign that UV radiation from the sun or sunbeds has damaged the genetic material in your skin cells - their DNA. Check out the short animation below to find out more.

It's not all bad news. In fact, it's estimated that the vast majority of skin cancers can be prevented. The key is to enjoy the sun safely - just spend some time in the shade between 11 and 3, cover up with clothing and a big hat, and apply sunscreen regularly and generously when you’re and about this summer. For more information check out our 'Advice and prevention' pages.

Getting to know your skin type and how it normally reacts in the sun can help to avoid sunburn. Check out our skin type page to get tailored advice on how to enjoy the sun safely.

If you haven’t seen it yet, why not check out the Fashion Forecast to get some ideas on how to look cool and avoid sunburn at the same time?

Some people are more likely than others to develop skin cancer, and need to take extra care to protect their skin from too much UV. These people tend to have one or more of the following:

• fair skin that burns easily
• lots of moles or freckles
• a history of sunburn
• red or fair hair
• light-coloured eyes
• a personal or family history of skin cancer

If you are worried about your skin cancer risk and would like to find out how to spot skin cancer early, check out the Detecting skin cancer page for more information.

Ever wondered why sunburn is red? Or how it damages your skin? Check out this short animation to find out more.

Helen, from London, was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, at the age of 22. As an air hostess, Helen would often sit in the sun when away with work and started using sunbeds in the hope she would have a tan all year round. Watch Helen’s video below and hear her story.

We teamed up with ASOS to help make young people more aware of the damage caused by sunburn. We want young people to know that sunburn is not only painful, but it increases the risk of skin cancer and can lead to premature ageing of the skin.

The Fashion Forecast is also supported with a number of other features across digital, radio and print media. These include:

• Features in Heat & More magazines, throughout July and August.
• A double-page feature in the ASOS printed magazine.
• Radio adverts on TotalKiss, Heat Radio and Big City Network radio stations (Hallam, Key 103, Metro FM, Radio City, Rock FM).
• Online advertisements are also used to drive traffic to the Fashion Forecast. Advertisements feature on the ASOS website as well as ‘Heatworld’, Kerrang, More and the websites owned by the radio stations mentioned above.

The SunSmart website has lots more information on sunburn, skin cancer and how to enjoy the sun safely. If you have any other questions please email sunsmart@cancer.org.uk.