Only UVA rays can pass through glass, so you won’t get sunburnt sitting by a window, while you can still enjoy the warmth of the sun. Be careful when sitting in the shade, however. You can still get burnt because you will be exposed to rays bouncing off reflective surfaces nearby. This is particularly the case near water. Not all clothing offers effective protection, either. If you can see the light through a piece of clothing when you hold it up, it will not offer much of a barrier to UV rays.
You should keep an eye out for any moles or dark spots on the skin that change in size, shape or colour, become bigger, itchy or inflamed, or bleed. All these may be symptoms of skin cancer and should be checked by a doctor. Once a mole has been identified as a potential melanoma, it is removed under local anaesthetic and sent for examination. Most turn out to be harmless. Of the three forms of skin cancer the two most common varieties – basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas – are easily treatable and rarely fatal, and even melanomas can be treated effectively if caught in time.