There are five golden rules to help protect you and your family from the damage the sun can cause. In turn, this will reduce your risk of skin cancer
What affects the strength of UV rays?
The strength of UV rays outside can vary depending on:
The Solar UV index
To help you know when you need to be extra careful outside, the World Health Organisation developed the UV index. The UV index is a way of describing how strong the UV will be during weather forecast and reports. The top number for high levels of UV is 10. When there is this much UV you should try to stay in the shade. But when the UV is 1 or 2 it is not very dangerous and you don't need to think about sun protection as much. UV ratings are usually shown as a number in a triangle on a weather map. How dangerous the UV level is for you depends on your skin type. The fairer you are, the more dangerous the sun's UV rays are.
Where can I check the UV index?
To check the UV ratings for today go to the Met Office website. You will also find a table explaining the different skin types on this page.
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