Parasols will not protect against the sun's deadly rays, tourists warned!
Not enough: A parasol alone will not protect holidaymakers from the sun's deadly rays. For many fair skinned holidaymakers, it's as essential as a bikini but although beach umbrellas provide shade, they will not stop you from getting sunburnt, experts are warning. Up to a third of cancer-causing UV rays still reach the skin even when you are sitting in the shade. Although a parasol stops direct beams, it is no match for diffuse radiation - rays that have been scattered in all directions on their way to Earth. These find their way under the umbrella and on to the skin, say Spanish researchers. Malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, affects more than 10,000 Britons a year and kills more than 2,000. Sunbed use, cheap foreign holidays and a reluctance to wear sunscreen are all blamed for the number of cases more than doubling in just 20 years. Dr Jose Martinez-Lozano, of the University of Valencia, placed a UV sensor on the base of a large beach parasol. He found that the canvas was very effective at stopping direct rays, only allowing 5 per cent of radiation through to the sensor below. But the sensor also picked up UV light that sneaked in under the umbrella, the journal Phytochemistry and Photochemistry reports. Although this light is less intense, it can still cause the skin to burn.
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