"Exposure to UV-B rays increases the risk of DNA and other cellular damage in living organisms. Fortunately, about 95% UV-B rays are absorbed by ozone in the Earth's atmosphere," NASA said.

The UV index measures the strength of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The index ranges from 0 to 11, with higher numbers indicating greater risk of sunburn and skin damage.

Using the UV analysis, sun damage can be seen in children as young as 12. Skin may look regular and uniform in color, but under UV light, doctors can see the actual nature of the damage.

"The UV index represents the amount of skin-damaging UV radiation reaching the earth’s surface at any instant of time," the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says in its UV Index Guide.

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Of the total UV radiation that reaches Earth, about 95% is UVA and 5% is UVB. UVB only reaches the upper layers of our skin but is the major cause of sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer.

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UV rays from sunbeds or over-exposure to the sun can damage the skin's DNA and, over time, this damage can build up and lead to skin cancer, the charity warned.

The first results showed a statistically significant decrease in UV-erythema dose response, the redness indicative of first DNA damage, which was provoked by incremental doses of UV light (p=0.018).

The UV index - a score to measure how strong the sunlight is during the day - indicates both how likely you are to get sunburn and how quickly. It runs from 0 to 11.