‘Keep your shirt on,’ is the message from the Irish Cancer Society, which launched its annual SunSmart campaign today.
Coinciding with ‘Euro Melanoma Monday’, a Europe-wide campaign to raise awareness about malignant melanoma skin cancer, the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) today advised people who think they are only at risk from the sun when on holidays, to think again.
"It’s ironic but most people think they are only at risk of sunburn when holidaying on sun kissed beaches in exotic locations," said Ms Lisa Holland, Health Promotion Officer with the ICS.
"The reality is that people are much more carefree about sun exposure on home soil, often throwing their shirts and their caution to the wind at first sight of sunshine.
"Also it’s not just on really hot days that we have to take care, sunburn can happen on cool or cloudy days too," she says.
Over 5,500 cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually in Ireland. 375 of those are cases of malignant melanoma.
This is one of least common but most dangerous forms of skin cancer, accounting for two-thirds of the 90 deaths annually from skin cancer.
According to the ICS, early detection and prevention of malignant melanoma are vitally important, particularly for women who are more prone to the disease than men.
The ICS advises the use of sunblock creams of at least SPF 15, wide brimmed hats, quality wraparound sunglasses and to avoid over-exposure to the sun.
Irish people most at risk are those with red or far hair, freckled skin and light coloured eyes.