Sunbathing in morning ‘safer’

Sunbathing may be safer in the morning due to the timing of DNA repair, a study has shown.

The skin’s ability to withstand damage from ultraviolet (UV) radiation varies at different times of day, according to the research.

It means skin cancer may be less likely to result from sun exposure in the morning than in the afternoon.

“Our research would suggest that restricting sunbathing to morning hours would reduce the risk of skin cancer in humans,” said study leader Professor Aziz Sancar, from the University of North Carolina in the US.

Damage to DNA by UV rays is the main cause of skin cancer.