Love Island fans express increasing concern over Alex’s sunburn

The doctor’s reddening skin has been a cause of anxiety for many viewers

Dr Alex George has become a firm favourite among Love Island viewers for his endearing attempts to find love in the villa.

However, his love life hasn’t been the only cause for concern over the past couple of weeks.

Many have expressed increasing uneasiness over Alex’s sunburn, which appears to be worsening as the show progresses.

“Alex’s sunburn is making me feel uncomfortable,” one person wrote on Twitter, while another said: “Someone give the boy some aloe vera.”

If a person sustains sunburn, there are a number of measures that they can take to ensure that their skin doesn’t become any more damaged than it already is.

However, people fear that Alex isn't taking adequate care of his skin, considering its perpetual reddened appearance.

Avoiding exposure to the sun is essential when your skin is burnt, as Dr Vikram Rajkomar, a consultant dermatologist at Pall Mall Medical and specialist in the treatment of skin diseases and skin cancer explains.

“Protect your skin at all times with sunscreen and make sure to wear clothing that covers delicate areas like your shoulders and back,” he tells The Independent.

Sunburn has been proven to increase your risk of developing skin cancer, whether you’ve been lying on the beach on holiday or using a sunbed, which the NHS states can emit stronger ultraviolet (UV) rays than teh sun at the hottest time of day.

In 2015, there were 15,906 new cases of melanoma skin cancer in the UK, with 2,285 people dying from the condition in 2016, as stated by Cancer Research UK's most recent statistics.

“There is no such thing as a healthy sun tan,” Dr Ross Perry, GP and medical director of CosmedicsUK, tells The Independent.

“A tan is a response to DNA damage, whether you get it on the beach, on a sunbed, or through incidental exposure.

“Tans are caused by harmful UV radiation from the sun, and if you have one, you’ve sustained skin cell damage.

“Such damage is instrumental in the development of skin cancer, and it also accelerates skin aging.”

Dr Perry explains that some people choose to burn, as they believe that their sunburn will eventually turn to a brown tan.

However, he describes this as a “myth”, as the skin that’s burnt simply peels off, leaving new brown skin below.

“Keep out of the sun altogether for a few days or if you really must go out, cover up with clothing, hats, shades and high SPF sunscreen,” he recommends for anyone who’s suffered from sunburn.

However, on a show like Love Island following this advice is far easier said than done, as the contestants spend the majority of their days in Majorca lounging outside in swimwear.

While it’s important to apply aloe vera on sunburn to cool it down, you mustn’t be fooled into thinking that this will protect your skin from further damage.

“Keep in mind that it offers no sun protection against further burning, despite what you might read on the internet,” says Dr Natalie Spierings, consultant dermatologist at Dermatica.

“Aloe vera is not sunblock and does not ‘protect’ the skin from further sunburn."