Sunburn in children can cause skin cancer later in life. How to protect them

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Wellness
LifestyleHealth & Wellness

How sunburn in children can lead to skin cancer in later life. These tips can protect them

A dermatologist and a cancer research expert outline the skin damage childhood sunburn can cause later in life, and advise on sun safety

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dpa
Published: 7:15am, 6 Jul 2026
Although many parents probably remember getting sunburned as children, it has become increasingly apparent that sun-damaged skin can be dangerous later in life.

Nevertheless, it seems lots of children are still getting sunburned, and research in the UK from 2024 has found that 59 per cent of children have been sunburned at least once

But while the pain and redness from sunburn diminish after a few days, it could have caused irreversible damage to children’s skin, which may rear its head when they are adults, potentially causing premature ageing and skin cancer.
Experts say sunburn in childhood or adolescence can double the risk of developing melanoma – the most serious type of skin cancer – in later life, and the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) says studies suggest around a quarter of the lifetime UV damage suffered by our skin occurs before the age of 20, increasing the risk of skin cancer later in life.

The more easily someone gets sunburned, the more careful they need to be in the sun

“Sunburn should always be avoided wherever possible, particularly in children,” BAD consultant dermatologist Professor Tess McPherson stresses. “Severe sunburn can cause blisters and can lead to heatstroke and heat exhaustion, so it should be taken very seriously.
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