Protecting your skin from the sun and sunbeds

In Ireland the sun can damage your skin, even on cloudy days. Skin damage does not only happen in hot, sunny places.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and sunbeds can damage skin and increase your risk of skin cancers including:

• melanoma
• non-melanoma skin cancer

This is because most skin cancers are caused by UV light damaging the DNA in skin cells. UVA and UVB are types of UV light. They damage skin over time, making it more likely for skin cancers to develop.

Ways to reduce your risk of getting skin cancer

To reduce you or your child's risk of getting skin cancer:

Follow the SunSmart 5S rule

Use the SunSmart 5S rule to remember how to protect your skin from the sun. The 5 parts are slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.

Slip

Slip on clothes that cover your skin, such as long sleeves and t-shirts with a collar.

Sun-protective clothing for babies and children

Slop

Slop on broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen. Broad spectrum means the sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays.

Choosing sunscreen

There are lots of different types of sunscreen - creams, lotions and sprays.

When buying sunscreen, the label should have a:

• sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 for adults and 50 for children to protect against UVB
• star rating of 4 or more or a UVA logo - these show UVA protection

Make sure the sunscreen is not past its expiry date.

Using sunscreen

Put sunscreen on any skin that you do not cover with clothes.

Do this:

• 20 minutes before going outdoors
• every 2 hours after
• after swimming, towel drying
• more often than 2 hours if you are sweating

Sunscreen does not give you 100% protection - use it as well as covering your skin with clothes and seeking shade.

How to put sunscreen on children

Sunscreen and babies age 1 year and under

Slap

Slap on a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears and neck.

Seek

Seek shade especially if outdoors between 11am and 3pm from April to September when UV from the sun is strongest. Always use a sunshade on a child’s buggy. Keep babies and children out of direct sunlight.

When to keep babies and children in the shade

Slide

Slide on wraparound sunglasses with UV protection to protect your eyes.

Choosing sunglasses with UV protection for your child

Check the UV index

The UV index tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays are each day.

You need to protect your skin when the UV index is 3 or above.

In Ireland, the UV index is usually 3 or above from April to September, even when it is cloudy. UV is usually strongest between 11am and 3pm.

Check the UV index on Met Éireann

Never use a sunbed

A sunbed produces UV rays similar to sunshine, but much stronger. There is no safe way to use a sunbed.

Using sunbeds increases your risk of getting skin cancer. All sunbed users are at risk. It is never OK to use a sunbed.

A sunbed can also age your skin and cause wrinkles and brown spots.

No company can allow you to use a sunbed on a sunbed premises or hire sunbed if you are under 18. It's against the law for anyone under the age of 18 to buy, hire or use a sunbed in Ireland.

Do not try to get a tan

A tan does not protect against sunburn. A tan is a sign that your skin is damaged by UV radiation from the sun or a sunbed. Even when a tan fades, the skin damage caused by the tan never goes away.

What to do if you get sunburnt

Who needs to protect their skin from UV radiation

Everyone needs to protect their skin from UV radiation.

Anyone can get skin cancer but you may be at more at risk if you:

• spend a lot of time in the sun
• spent a lot of time outdoors as a child or teenager
• have had a lot of sunburns - especially when you were a child
• work outdoors
• do outdoor sport and activities
• use a sunbed
• take medicine that suppresses your immune system
• have a condition that suppresses your immune system, such as HIV
• have had skin cancer or a close family member has had skin cancer

You are more likely to get skin cancer if you have:

• white skin that burns easily
• green or blue eyes
• red or blonde hair
• lots of freckles or moles on your skin

You still need to protect your skin from the sun if you have:

• black skin
• brown skin
• skin that tans easily
• skin that does not burn easily

If you have dark brown or black skin your risk of getting skin cancer is lower - but it may be found at a more advanced stage. This means it will be more difficult to treat.

What to do if you are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency

Babies and children

Playing and spending time outdoors is good for your child. But children’s skin is very sensitive to UV from the sun. Protect their skin, even on cloudy days.

Skin cancer in children is rare but sunburn during childhood increases your risk of getting skin cancer as an adult.

If your child is badly sunburnt more than 3 times before the age of 20, they more than double their risk of skin cancer as an adult.

Ways to protect your baby or child's skin from the sun

Teenagers and young people

Teenagers and young people spend more time in the sun than children and older adults.

Skin cancer is rare in teenagers. But sunburn, tanning and spending time outdoors during your teenage years is more likely to lead to skin cancer later in life.

If you are a teenager or young person, make sun protection part of your daily routine.

Outdoor workers

You are more at risk of skin cancer if you spend a lot of time working outdoors.

Outdoor workers include farmers, landscapers and construction workers.

If you work outdoors plan your work so you are in the shade from 11am to 3pm. This is when UV rays are strongest.

You can be exposed to up to 3 times more UV radiation than indoor workers.

People who take part in outdoor sport and activities

You are more at risk of skin cancer if you spend a lot of time outdoors or are involved in outdoor sports, recreation and tourism.

For example, if your hobby is gardening outdoors, or you walk, hike, run, are a sea swimmer, ski, cycle, golf or play tennis.