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WE love the sun. It makes us feel happier. It warms our faces and cheers our souls.

Our bodies too need the vitamin D provides, to use calcium to make our bones strong. But the sun can also do us untold damage. We all know we should not stay out in the sun too long, or allow skin to burn, but why not?

The sun radiates UV light rays. They are classified A, B and C depending on their wavelength. The shorter UVC rays are excluded by the earth's atmosphere, although depletion in ozone layer is allowing some UVC light to penetrate at the arctic and Antarctic circles.

UVA and UVB both get through and when they strike the complex chemical factory that is a human, the light energy is absorbed through the skin. Both can do damage to the body's genetic DNA structure.

UVB rays can do it directly, penetrating the skin's dermis and finding a DNA molecule, which will absorb the light energy. This in turn causes a chemical reaction which can damage a critical part of the DNA, perhaps the part that tells it when to reproduce, causing an explosion of cells and a potential cancer growth.

UVA rays transfer their light energy to other molecules closer to the surface and create a chemical ''cascade'', where the energy is passed on and can create a 'free radical' that may find a DNA molecule and again cause a transmuting effect.

It may also fix itself to collagen or elasticin, the two things which affect the strength and structure of our skin, causing wrinkles and age spots to form.

It takes only one photon of light, a miniscule amount, to get through the skin, alight on a DNA molecule and damage its structure to cause cancer - and we are bombarded by billions rays every day.

On the positive side not all DNA molecules are crucial to cell formation, some are classed as 'junk' and our cells are also able to repair DNA damage most of the time, so there is no lasting harm.

Mike Brown, sun-care scientific adviser for Boots PLC said: '' As a defence against UV damage our skin also produces melanins, whose job is to absorb the light energy before gets to the cells. It is this melanin which turns our skin brown and is an indication, not that we are looking healthy, but that our skin is already being damaged.

''It is important not to just lecture people against sunbathing but to explain just how the sun is damaging their skin.''

But a recent survey by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund showed that one in four people think the dangers have been exaggerated - and behave accordingly.

A survey carried out for the charity last year by NOP found that almost half of holidaymakers do not wear sunscreen with the recommended protection factor of 15 or more.

One in 25 wrongly believes that wearing a fake tan is protective and one in six used an ordinary oil without any sun protection. The statistics show that such ignorance is not just foolish - but tragic.

Each year in the UK there are about 44,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer - the most common type of skin cancer - and almost 500 deaths. There are almost 5,000 cases of deadly melanoma in the UK. One of the most lethal forms of skin cancer, it is particularly associated with scorching sunburns.

According to research in the US, one blistering sunburn during childhood can double a person's risk for developing melanoma later in life.

Holidays to hot spots like Africa and the Caribbean are now commonplace, but even if you don't go long haul bear in mind two weeks' sun exposure in Mediterranean resorts is roughly equivalent to an entire year's supply in the UK.

But despite the dire warnings we still like a holiday and most still like being in the sun. So what can we do?

Protection cover-up

The number one protection is to keep skin covered. Special body suits are available for children and they are particularly useful for trips to holiday hotspots, where children want to spend hours playing on the beach. Hats are a must, even in the UK.

Babies should not be allowed to go out uncovered into hot sunshine. Their thin, fragile skins are unable to produce any protection against UV damage and there is evidence that serious sunburn as a child makes adults more likely to develop skin cancer.

Grown-ups too should slap on a hat and slip on a t-shirt before the burning feeling starts. That burning is the skin turning the UV light into heat energy and means damage has begun.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a clever mix of chemicals which mimic the natural melanin in skin. It acts to absorb the light energy before it gets through the skin. The SPF or skin protection factor indicates the amount of UV it will absorb. Always use 15 or higher and it must be re-applied frequently.

Water

The chemical reaction in the body caused by UV rays can lead to dehydration so make sure you drink plenty of water.

Noon

Avoid the midday sun and if you must stay outside all day, or are on an excursion, make sure you cover up between 11am and 3pm.

Sunbeds

Skip the sunbeds. Prolonged exposure to UV rays, whether from the sun or from a sun-bed, is a known factor in increasing damage. Opt for a fake tan instead.

Alan Milligan, an information nurse with the Cancer Research Campaign, said: ''Sadly there is no such thing as a healthy sun-tan. We urge people every summer to try and stay safe in the sun and that means covering up and applying sunscreen frequently, even in the UK, even if they are just walking to the park or the shops.

''When you buy sunscreen, mark the date on the container. It will last approximately two years if kept somewhere cool. After that, I'm afraid it will be useless, and should be thrown away. I know it is expensive but it is false economy to keep it too long.''

British people are particularly at risk from melanoma because they are fair-skinned. Redheads, blue-eyed blondes and people with skin pigment disorders face an even greater risk, as do those with freckles.

The good news is that the potential hazards of sunburn can be avoided if you are sensible and follow the above advice.

People with lots of moles must take extra care. Get to know each and every one of them, and what each looks like. If any start changing colour, or texture, or begin to grow or become lumpy or start to weep, then see your doctor immediately.

Alan Milligan said: "Moles are quite volatile and any change can be an early indication that something is wrong. But skin cancer is treatable if caught early so don't put it off - go and see your doctor."

And if you still are not convinced that pale is beautiful then reach for the bottle. There are some great fake tan lotions that are not only easy to use, but convincing in their colour.

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