The Health Service Executive is urging the public to avoid sunbeds entirely and to make sun protection a part of their daily routine.
At the launch of its annual SunSmart campaign, the HSE is encouraging people to reconsider how they think about sun exposure, stressing that the risk of skin cancer builds up over a lifetime of contact with ultraviolet (UV) light, reports RTE.
Everyday activities including school runs, dog walks, outdoor exercise, gardening, commuting and general time spent outside all contribute to long-term skin damage — even on overcast or cool days.
Meanwhile, short but intense bouts of sun exposure that lead to sunburn can cause immediate harm and substantially raise the risk of melanoma, the most serious and dangerous form of skin cancer, reports RTE.
The HSE noted that such exposures frequently go undetected, yet accumulate steadily over time, contributing to lasting skin damage, premature ageing and a heightened risk of non-melanoma skin cancers.
Selene Daly Tarpey, who spent 18 years working in dermatology and is now a Nurse Tutor with the HSE Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Education Sligo Leitrim West Cavan, spoke about the risks, reports RTE.
“Between 90-95% of all skin cancers are caused by over-exposure to UV light – that includes UV light that comes from the sun and sunbeds,” she said.
“If you have skin, you can get skin cancer,” reports RTE.
“While previous damage cannot be reversed, reducing both your day-to-day UV exposure and avoiding sunburn can help prevent further harm and lower your risk of developing skin cancer in the future. Think of it like filling a glass – you can’t empty what’s already there, but you can stop topping it up,” reports RTE.
The HSE also underlined the importance of building good sun safety habits among younger people, noting that 84% of Gen Z reported experiencing sunburn at least once in the past year.
The SunSmart campaign promotes five key steps to reduce UV exposure: slip on clothing to cover your skin, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses, reports RTE.
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