THE HSE has issued an urgent new skin cancer warning – alerting the public that they are at the highest risk of sun damage for the next six months.
Health chiefs have urged people to take extra care from April onwards, with some 11,000 skin cancer cases now being diagnosed in Ireland annually.
And worryingly skin cancer cases are projected to almost DOUBLE between 2015 and 2045, meaning closer to 25,000 cases could be detected each year – with the number already “rising rapidly”.
And they say sun protection must be part of people’s daily routine from April right through to September – even when the weather is cloudy.
Issuing a new warning just as April began, the HSE said: “Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland with over 11,000 cases diagnosed each year.
“The number of people being diagnosed with skin cancer in Ireland is rising rapidly. Protect yourself and your family by being SunSmart especially from April to September, even when it’s cloudy.”
The HSE’s Sun Smart campaign urges the public to follow five simple steps to stay safe in the sun during the spring and summer seasons.
The HSE’s National Cancer Control Programme, in conjunction with Healthy Ireland, warned that people must follow the five S steps:
- Slip on clothing
- Slop on sunscreen (SPF 30+ for adults, 50+ for children)
- Slap on a wide-brimmed hat
- Seek shade
- And slide on sunglasses.
Health bosses warned that while cloudy skies can be misleading, the sun’s UV rays can harm your health right through the spring and summer, when the UV index is usually at 3 or above.
MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN
It’s especially important to take protective steps between 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its peak heat.
And when it comes to clothing, the HSE said people should cover skin as much as possible with long sleeves, collared t-shirts and clothes made from close-woven material that doesn’t let sunlight through.
And they warned that no SPF can provide 100 percent protection, but adults should be using at least SPF30 and children must be using SPF50 or above.
The HSE said: “Reapply regularly. No sunscreen can provide 100 per cent protection, it should be used alongside other protective measures such as clothing and shade.
“Exposure to UV radiation during childhood is particularly harmful so protecting skin during childhood is extremely important.”
For babies or young children, it is more effective to cover their skin and keep to the shade but if that’s not possible then use sensitive or toddler sunscreen.
SPECIAL ADVICE FOR KIDS
- For children up to the age of one, it is best to keep them in the shade and wear clothing that covers their skin when outdoors.
- It is better to protect babies up to six-months-old from sunlight by using shade and clothing rather than sunscreen. You may choose to use sunscreen sometimes on small parts of your baby’s skin. If you do, choose a sunscreen that is for babies such as sensitive or toddler sunscreen.
- Ultraviolet radiation is a part of sunlight. It can damage the skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.
- Children’s skin is very sensitive to UV from the sun. Sunburn during childhood increases the risk of getting skin cancer as an adult. If your child is badly sunburned more than three times before the age of 20, they more than double their risk of skin cancer as an adult.
- In Ireland, UV from the sun is strongest from April to September between 11am-3pm, even when it is cloudy.
- Protect yourself and your children by being SunSmart as part of your daily routine from April through to September.
Other important steps to take could include using wide-brimmed hats to cover your face, ears and neck throughout the day and wearing sunglasses to protect your eyes, the HSE states.
It is important to avoid the sun as much as possible, sit in shaded or covered areas and do not deliberately attempt to get a tan.
And the public is urged to avoid sunbeds as they produce UV radiation which increases your chance of skin cancer and they can also cause long term damage to your skin and eyes.
The HSE has urged anyone looking to bronze up for summer to use fake tan instead – as exposure to the sun’s rays can lead to sunburn and melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer.
Both UVA and UVB can damage DNA in the skin, which can lead to skin cancer.
And more than a quarter of skin cancer cases are diagnosed in people under 50.
HSE bosses warned: “Exposure to UV radiation during childhood and adolescence is more likely to lead to skin cancer later in life.
“Adolescents spend more time in the sun than any other age group and many do not see the relevance of sun protection. Those aged under 35 are less likely to use at least one method of sun protection than those older than this.”
And outdoor workers are also at higher risk, with the HSE warning: “Those who spend all or part of the day working outdoors are at an increased risk of skin cancer as the nature of their occupation exposes them to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
“Outdoor workers can be exposed to between two to three times more UV radiation than indoor workers.”
The HSE said staff on outdoor tasks should be rotated to “reduce exposure” and outdoor work tasks should be planned for when the UV is lower, with proper PPE equipment on hand.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Launching the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026, Minister for Public Health Hildegarde Naughton said: “Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Ireland, and most cases are preventable.
“This Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026 will continue to raise
awareness of the actions we can all take to reduce risk.”
Tags: Urgent preventable Irish cancer warning months cases rapidly rise
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