Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can decrease the risk of developing skin cancer, according to a new study.

Researchers studied three different types of skin cancer - squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma over an eighteen-year period - 1991-2009.

They found people who took the drugs at high intensity for at least seven years had a lower risk of developing two of the three skin cancers.

The risk of squamous cell carcinoma was reduced by 15%, malignant melanoma risk decreased by 13% and overall there was no significant difference in the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma by taking the drugs seven years at high intensity.

However, the chance of developing basal call carcinoma in particular areas in the body was reduced; the risk of developing it in less exposed sites on the body decreased by 15% and in the head and neck area by 21%.

The study assessed over 175,000 people who did not have cancer of any kind and over 18,000 with one of the three skin cancers.

When discussing with your GP whether to use anti-inflammatory drugs or not, the potential protection against skin cancer should be considered. according to lead researcher, Sigrún Alba Jóhannesdóttir of Aarhus University Hospital, Demark.

The study was published online in Cancer.