![\"Sunburn](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/5093670_4_articleinlinemobile_iStock-510633545_1_.jpg\" "\\"Sunburn")
Sunburn in childhood can increase the risk of skin cancer in later years.\u00a0<\/p>\nGet into the habit of having bottles of sun cream on the table, along with the breakfast cereal, so applying it gets built into the morning routine and no member of the family leaves the house without protection.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the advice from Cork-based Irish Cancer Society nurse Nicola Whelan, who said she simply cannot highlight how dangerous a tan is.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom May on, my three children don\u2019t leave in the morning without wearing sun factor for the summer months. They may not always like it but they know why it\u2019s important. It\u2019s not to frighten anyone but to give the facts and the reality about what you\u2019re trying to prevent,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
More than 11,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer in Ireland every year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It can take years, and even decades, for some skin cancers to develop and children who get burnt have an increased risk of developing the disease.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it would help if sun creams were available in parks and other public spaces. We\u2019ve all run out of the house and forgot sun cream at one time or another and if it was something readily available, it would become the normal practice, and become part of your daily routine,” Nicola said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While some sun protection products can be expensive, Nicola says that the price shouldn\u2019t be the deciding factor in what you buy, it\u2019s about how much protection is on offer.<\/p>\n
\n \u201cSome of the cheaper brands can have good protection. What you need to be looking at is the UVB and UVA protection in your sun cream.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
“Even on a cloudy day, UV rays get through the clouds, so you need to protect the skin as a UV Index of 3 or above poses a risk, and that information is shared with national forecasts, but precautions should be taken all the time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Sunburn in childhood can increase the risk of skin cancer in later years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Behaviour and awareness around staying safe in the sun is improving, but there\u2019s still a lot of misinformation out there about being sun smart.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, people might think that once they get burned, there\u2019s no point applying sun protection, and that isn\u2019t the case, as the greater the burn the higher the risk of skin cancer. Also, it\u2019s important you reapply every two hours, even if you haven\u2019t been swimming and to apply at least 20 minutes before going into the sun.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important to know that even water-resistant sun cream will need to be reapplied more frequently after you\u2019ve been swimming, if you are perspiring a lot and if you\u2019ve towel dried yourself,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
There can also be some confusion when wearing make-up that has SPF.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It may not offer enough protection, so it\u2019s all about checking those numbers, maybe wearing an additional SPF.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
What Nicola says she can\u2019t highlight enough is that tanned skin isn\u2019t healthy skin, but damaged skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s about reversing a trend where people tan themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
And for those who feel sun exposure is needed for vitamin D, Nicola disagrees.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt all comes down to risk-benefit. You can get your vitamin D through your diet \u2013 the risk of being in the sun is far greater.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Other misconceptions are that sitting behind glass offers protection.<\/p>\n
\n \u201cUV rays can penetrate glass, and that\u2019s important to know for anyone who drives for a living, or if kids are being driven to activities, that kind of thing. Get the sun cream on 20 minutes before getting into the car.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
Alarmingly, some people think using a sun bed, classed as a level 1 carcinogen, is safer than going in the sun.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf sunbeds are used before 18, there is a 75% increased risk of developing skin cancer,\u201d said Nicola.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, if someone has any doubt about a mole that\u2019s changed shape, or has become itchy or is bleeding, they should speak to their GP.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no need to feel embarrassment or fear. There will be no judgment. It\u2019s safer to get it checked out, because like all cancer, the sooner you get it checked, the better.\u201d<\/p>\n