THE Health Service Executive has issued a major suncream warning to people wanting to soak up the sun this summer. As the weather improves and the evenings get brighter in Ireland, more people will spend more time outdoors to enjoy the weather - but exposure to UV rays can cause skin damage. Met Eireann predicts that temperatures are set to remain high with sunny and dry conditions over Sunday and Monday during the June Bank Holiday weekend - with temperatures ranging from 16C to 21C.
The HSE has urged people to apply sunscreen when outdoors - even on cloudy and rainy days. They wrote on X : "Skin damage doesn’t just happen on holiday in hot, sunny places. "The sun is strong enough to cause damage here in Ireland between April and September, even on cloudy days, so remember to be #SunSmart.
" The HSE also provided images showing the damages of unprotected sun exposure to your skin on the website, which increases the risk of skin cancer . Seven signs of damage to unprotected skin when exposed to the sun include sunburn, age spots, pigmentation, freckles, wrinkles and other signs of premature ageing. They urged people to follow the SunSmart 5S rule to prevent skin damage when exposed to the sun: slip on clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, seek shade and slide on sunglasses.
People should cover their skin as much as possible, wear long sleeves, collared t-shirts and clothes made from close-woven material that does not allow sunlight through. Slop on broad-s.
