Experts say skin cancer can strike one in five people because of greater sun exposure:

Experts say around one in five people in the UK will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

Cases have reached an all-time high, and experts believe aging populations and improvements in the way cancer is reported are behind the increase.

It can also be blamed for increased sun exposure and more vacations abroad.

According to data analyzed by NHS Digital and the British Association of Dermatologists, 224,092 skin cancers were registered in the UK in 2019; this is a 26% increase from 177,677 recorded in 2013.

Cases have reached an all-time high, and experts believe aging populations and improvements in the way cancer is reported are behind the increase. The reason may also be increased sun exposure and more holidays abroad (archive pictures show a mole on the left with signs of melanoma and a woman with a sunburn on the right)

Between 2013 and 2019, the total was over 1.4 million. Dr. Tanya Bleiker, president of the association, said: “We are rapidly approaching a quarter of a million cases each year in the UK. We estimate that one in five people will develop skin cancer during their lifetime.

“More needs to be done to prevent skin cancer, but we also need more resources to address the increase.”

One analysis shows that melanomas rose from 12,885 in 2013 to 15,332 in 2019. Melanoma is less common than other skin cancers, but can be more deadly.

Also, skin squamous cell carcinoma increased from 34,672 in 2013 to 47,977 in 2019. This skin cancer is largely curable if detected early.

There were 158,934 basal cell carcinomas in 2019 compared to 128,406 in 2013. This form of the disease usually does not spread.

Also, rare skin cancer cases rose from 1,714 in 2013 to 1,849 in 2019.