Last night – as usual – I logged on to the Daily Mail’s website to read the news. I was shocked out of my mind when I happened across this article. A few things to bear in mind here: I’m Black, and a Jamaican – the sun doesn’t scare me or make me excited. And, even though I’ve been blessed with my pigmentation as it is, I know that it doesn’t mean that I’m invincible to damage UV rays can wreak on human skin!

That being said, I can’t quite wrap my head around the logic or use of priorities exhibited by hardcore sun-worshippers.

We came across Kate, 16, and a friend from Northern Ireland, holidaying with their parents. I was impressed to see Kate’s 15-year-old friend was spritzing herself with factor 50.

But as we got closer, it seemed that despite the high factor, she was noticeably sunburnt.

‘I’m only using factor 50 because I burnt yesterday,’ she explains.

We ask her what factor she was using yesterday and I’m truly shocked by her response.

‘Cooking oil,’ she tells us, showing us a bottle of lotion that they’ve emptied and filled with oil.

‘My parents would kill me if they knew what we were doing. They think we’re wearing factor 15, not cooking oil.’

‘It gives you cancer, but it makes you tan,’ says Kate, shrugging her shoulders.

So today they’re using factor 50 on the bits they burnt yesterday, and cooking oil on the bits that aren’t yet burnt. ‘I think you tan quicker if you burn first,’ says Kate.

She’s not alone. A recent poll by the Teenage Cancer Trust discovered that more than a quarter of 13 to 19 year olds deliberately get sunburnt in the belief their burn will turn into a tan later.

Are you seeing this? “It gives you cancer, but it makes you tan.” – What kind of reasoning allows you to dismiss the very real threat of a disease that can kill you in favour of having skin that looks like burnt bread?!

Part of me decides that perhaps her ignorance can be attributed to her age…only to read this comment in the article from a 35-year-old woman with children.

Further along the beach we met Nicola Cordt, 38, and her husband Simon, 37, from Luton, taking a long weekend break without their children.

Nicola admitted that while she was careful to make sure her children never burnt in the sun, she was less diligent with her own body.

‘I start off with factor six and then when I get burnt I put on a higher factor. I know it’s silly, but I feel better with a suntan,’ she says. ‘Of course I worry about skin cancer, but not enough to change.’

These people concern me – moreso because their line of reasoning isn’t restricted to a particular age group – it’s all across the board!

People, we’re only blessed with ONE skin for our entire lives – why not take better care of it, unless of course you can afford to have costly skin grafts or laser treatments – which still won’t give you the complexion you were born with.

It’s really not that hard to slap on some sunblock – or spray it on – every 90 minutes, or choose to stay out of the sun when it’s at its hottest – or, even better yet, if you MUST be JerseyShore-Orange, FAKE IT.

Protect your skin, it’s the only one you’ve got!