Sunburn: Met Office issue warning over sunburn risk as temperatures continue to soar - how to protect yourself

• It’s been a warm start to April with highs of 23C in the UK.
• Whilst, many of us are enjoying the sunshine it’s important to remember to protect our skin from sunburn.
• The Met Office have warned of the risk of sunburn as temperatures continue to soar.

April has gotten off to sunny start, with temperatures set to continue to climb this week, before the dull and dreary days return just in time for the school Easter holidays.

The Met Office said temperatures could reach 22C on Friday (April 11). The warmer weather is across the UK, reaching into Northern Ireland and Scotland, with both regions recording their highest temperatures of the year so far on Tuesday (April 8).

However, with the sunshine also comes the risk of sunburn, with the Met Office issuing a warning for people to protect themselves from the sun.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Paul Gundersen, said: “The UK will have a sunny start to April this week. Temperatures will slowly build, with highs of 21-22°C possible by Thursday and Friday. Other than a small chance of some light rain grazing the far southwest of England it will be a dry week too.

“At this time of the year, we do start to see higher UV levels, so if you are outside enjoying the sunshine do think about protecting yourself from the sun as even in April it is strong enough to burn your skin.”

Even though it’s not summer yet, UV levels are starting to reach moderate levels and can still have an impact on our skin. Sunburn increases your risk of developing skin cancer, here is everything you need to know about protecting yourself.

How to avoid sunburn?

Sunburn isn’t something that just happens when you are on holiday abroad, your skin can burn in the UK, even on a cloudy day. The best way to avoid getting sunburnt is to protect yourself when the sun is at its strongest, which from March to October is between 11am and 3pm.

The NHS advise you to:

• spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm
• never burn
• cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses
• take extra care with children
• use at least factor 30 sunscreen

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How to apply sunscreen?

If you are planning to go outside in the sunshine, sunscreen should be applied to all skin that is exposed.

As a guide, the NHS explain that adults should aim to apply around six to eight teaspoons of sunscreen if you're covering your entire body.

It's also recommended to reapply your sunscreen every two hours.

Swimming can make you more susceptible to sunburn as water will reflect the sun’s UV rays. Even if you use a water-resistant sunscreen you should reapply it straight after you have been in the water.

How to get rid of sunburn?

If you have gotten sunburnt, get out of the sun and avoid sunshine until all signs of redness have gone.

Sunburn leaves your skin red, sore, warm, tender and occasionally itchy, it takes about a week to fully heal, with your skin normally starting to flake and peel after a few days.

To ease sunburn you can use a sponge to apply cool water to sore skin, applying soothing aftersun cream, like aloe vera can also help. If your sunburn is particularly painful, painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, can ease the pain by helping to reduce the inflammation. If the skin swells badly or has blisters seek medical help.

You can find out more about how to stay safe in the sun at NHS.UK.