Skin cancer warning to women in 20s

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Around 340 20-somethings are diagnosed with malignant melanoma in the UK every year - a rate of almost one a day.

That is almost double the number diagnosed with breast cancer while in their 20s.

Health experts said a love of sunbeds and "binge tanning" on holiday was leading to a rise in the number of young women being diagnosed with cancer.

They warned people of all ages to stay away from sunbeds and use a high factor sun lotion in the sun.

Around 50 women under the age of 40 in the UK die from melanoma each year, with deaths among all ages accounting for around 1,800 each year.

However, experts predict these figures will rise - by the year 2024, Cancer Research UK experts say malignant melanoma will be the fourth most common cancer for men and women of all ages. Cases will rise from around 9,000 each year to more than 15,500.

Caroline Cerny, campaign manager for Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign, said: "Spending time on sunbeds is just as dangerous as staying out too long in sun. The intensity of UV rays in some sunbeds can be more than 10 times stronger than the midday sun."

A survey of 4,000 people carried out last year found that one in three women has used a sunbed at some point, with 80% first using one when they were under the age of 35.

Other data has shown that women who use sunbeds under the age of 35 can increase their risk of developing melanoma by 75%.