Why one in nine Brits are deliberately burning their skin

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Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleRebecca WhittakerFriday 01 May 2026 13:29 BSTHugh Jackman urges people to wear sunscreen following skin cancer scareA survey by Melanoma Focus reveals that one in nine UK adults deliberately burn their skin in pursuit of a tan.Approximately 14 per cent of Britons admit to using sunbeds or sunbathing to intentionally achieve sunburn, with many believing it leads to a better or deeper tan.Experts warn that deliberately burning skin significantly increases the risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.Having five or more sunburns over a lifetime can double the risk of melanoma, which is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, causing around 2,600 deaths annually.The survey also found that 35 per cent of respondents, rising to 41 per cent of men, never use sunscreen in the UK during summer months, despite warnings about the deceptively high UV index.In fullSkin cancer warning as one in nine Britons admit to deliberately burning themselves to tanThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in