Hongkongers were warned yesterday to use plenty of sunscreen this summer to ensure they are protected from overexposure to ultraviolet light which can cause skin cancer.
The Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society urged people to take precautions against the summer sun, saying the number of new cancer cases has continued to rise in the past decade.
Some 594 new cases of skin cancer were reported in 2004, compared with 403 in 1990, according to the group, which said the increasing popularity of outdoor activities and lack of awareness of prevention measures were the reasons for the growing incidence of skin cancers.
The group projects the number of new cases will increase to 740 in 2010.
'The general public seems to be more concerned about the problem, but they do not seem to know how much sunscreen they should apply to make the protection effective,' Anthony Ying Chi-ho, chairman of the society's cancer detection and prevention subcommittee, said.
Dr Ying said most sunscreen products only informed customers about the SPF (sun protection factor) reading and the PA plus (Protection UVA, a standard to indicate effectiveness in protecting the skin from UVA radiation), but they did not tell users how much they should apply.