For years we have been warned that too much sun can cause skin cancer. Now a new report claims sunlight is good for you. So who do we believe? Stephen Lewis reports.

SUN-starved Britons who flock to exotic beaches every summer in search of a tan are used to warnings about skin cancer. Too much sun is bad for you, we're told - with skin cancer rates soaring over the past 25 years and ultraviolet radiation in sunlight to blame.

The consistent advice is to cover up, keep out of the sun when you can - and wear high-factor suncream when you are exposed.

Now, however, a freelance medical researcher is challenging all that.

Oliver Gillie, a former medical correspondent with the Sunday Times and the Independent, claims sunlight is a vital source of vitamin D - and that we need more of it, not less. In a new report Sunlight Robbery, he has called on the Government to change its advice.

Dr Gillie, who has a doctorate in developmental biology, claims vitamin D deficiency is linked to a range of chronic diseases, including several types of cancer and conditions such as multiple sclerosis and even schizophrenia. By not getting enough sunlight we're increasing our risk of developing these, he claims.

"The health of people in Britain is being put at risk by official policy that discourages sunbathing and promotes the use of sunblock products," he says.

So which is right? Vitamin D expert Sue Fairweather-Tait says it comes down to balancing the risks and being sensible. "Moderation is the answer," she says.

Here, we set out the facts and the arguments - and speak to a sun worshipper and two skin cancer sufferers to get their views.

Sunlight: the case for and against

The medical establishment

Government advice: "Protect yourself from the sun - cover up, keep in the shade, never burn and use factor 15+ sunscreen. Take extra care to protect children."

Skin cancer rates have risen by nearly 25 per cent over five years, according to Cancer Research UK - and ultraviolet radiation in sunlight is mainly to blame.

There are about 69,000 new cases of skin cancer every year in the UK, making it one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK; and of those, about 7,000 are malignant melanomas, the most serious form. In 2002 alone, more than 1,600 people died as a result.

Dr Calum Lyon, a consultant dermatologist at York and Scarborough hospitals, says there is no doubt there has been a huge increase in skin cancer rates in recent years, and that it is related to the fashion for developing a sun-tan.

Traditionally, this condition has affected older people, because it is the cumulative effect on the skin over many years that causes cancer. "But we are seeing sun-related skin cancers in younger people," he says. Malignant melanoma is, in fact, now the third most common cancer in people aged 15-39, Cancer Research UK says.

Many people persist in seeing a tan as a sign of health, Dr Lyon says. In fact, it is a sign of damage to the skin - causing roughness and wrinkles. His view: pale and interesting is far better, and safer.

Cancer Research UK, which runs the hard-hitting SunSmart campaign, stresses it is not saying people should avoid the sun altogether - we should simply be sensible. The charity also accepts the importance of vitamin D.

"But it is not necessary to deliberately sunbathe in order to make adequate amounts," says Sara Hiom, the charity's science information manager. "Most people get all the sun exposure they need from their daily routine."

Diet can help those worried about not getting enough vitamin D, the charity says. Dairy products, some meats, eggs and fish oils are all rich in vitamin D.

The maverick

OLIVER Gillie's advice: "Take every opportunity to sunbathe wearing as few clothes as possible for up to half an hour or more per day depending on skin type, previous exposure and time of day. But take care - sensitive skin may burn after only a few minutes. Be ready to cover up or seek the shade to avoid baking or burning. Encourage children to undress in the sun but take care that they do not burn."

Dr Gillie says he has conducted a two-year survey of medical research on Vitamin D deficiency, and has found evidence it is associated with 16 types of cancer (including breast, colon, ovarian, prostate and testicular cancer) and other conditions such as schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, raised blood pressure. This research is ignored by the Government, he claims.

It is best to try to avoid burning, he says. But sunbathing, by helping to produce vitamin D, can help protect against disease. Advice to cover up and keep out of the sun is based on the mistaken belief that short periods outdoors will produce sufficient vitamin D to keep us healthy, he says. This is wrong.

The Cancer Research UK's SunSmart campaign, he claims, is based on a campaign developed in Australia, where children have twice as much exposure to the sun as children in the UK.

He has some medical backing. Sue Fairweather-Tait, head of the nutrition division of the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, says Dr Gillie's work does draw attention to the problem of vitamin D deficiency in this country. She does not, however, endorse his advice on sunbathing.

Fact file:

What is skin cancer?

There are two main types of skin cancer.

Malignant melanoma is the most serious. It usually develops in the outer layers of the skin, but can spread to other parts of the body and may be fatal. Early detection is vital. Melanoma is one of the few cancers to affect significant numbers of young adults. It may start with a change in a pre-existing mole, or in previously normal skin.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common and easily-treated type of skin cancer. Over 62,000 new cases were registered in the UK in 2002.

Who is most at risk?

Those with reddish hair or with freckles, or who have a family history of skin cancer, need to be particularly alert and careful, says Dr Lyon.

What to look out for

Dark lesions, possibly even black, that change colour and shape and grow.

Updated: 08:53 Thursday, July 08, 2004