IF, like most of the Irish population, you have just spent most of the Bank Holiday weekend exposing your skin to the sun's rays the last thing you will want to read about is the harm which has been done.
However, the dangers of the sun are such, according to medical experts, that the warnings of exposure in an effort to get a tan must be hammered home.
According to the Irish Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland, with over 7,000 cases diagnosed each year. Some 90 per cent are caused by overexposure to the sun and are preventable.
A recent study found that Irish people were becoming more care less about exposure to the sun. Last year, the number of people who did nothing to protect themselves doubled to 22 per cent. Just 6 per cent, according to the Uvistat sunscreen survey, limit the amount of time they spend in the sun and only 14 per cent cover up with clothing. Less than 1 in 10 stay out of direct sunlight.
Dr Marjorie Young, a consultant dermatologist, said Irish people have to be particularly careful because of their Celtic skin. Unlike the Italians or Spanish, over 70 per cent of Irish people are skin Type 1 and Type 2 - they burn and don't tan, or tan with difficulty.
"At the end of the day, it all comes down to common sense. You certainly do not want people going down to Brittas, lying out all day and coming back red," she said.
The impression among dermatologists here, said Dr Young, was that there was a higher incidence of skin cancer caused by the sun among younger people. "Not so long ago, we were just seeing elderly people but now it is people in their 30s, 40s and 50s."
A tan is traditionally associated with looking healthy but this is not the case. In the UK and the US, there are leaflets circulating which claim a tan is not healthy. "A tan is actually the skin protecting itself from the sun. It is a consequence of sun exposure but not a healthy consequence."
The Uvistat survey also revealed that almost 75 per cent of Irish people stay in the sun for over two hours, with 1 in 10 staying out for more than five hours.
Men, said Dr Young, were the worst for staying in the sun too long without any protection. "Men have to be targeted with this message because they are not listening. We see from figures in Scotland that malignant melanomas are levelling off with women but not with men. Farmers should take particular care and wear a hat and a long sleeved shirt."
Babies should always be kept in the shade.
The best option when purchasing a sun protection cream is to buy a factor 15 or over. Check the SPF - sun protection factor - on the bottle.
"Some people still do not understand what that means and there is a tendency to use a factor that is too low, such as four or eight. Make sure that you are getting UVA and UVB protection. Look carefully at the label or ask a pharmacist. When applying it, put it on everywhere," said Dr Young.
When exposed to the sun, be particularly careful in the middle part of the day, she said. Closely weaved clothes were also a good protection.
"Listen to the weather forecast and see what the sunburn index is for that day People should not stay cut for longer than half an hour."
Tomorrow, the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Farmers Association are uniting to encourage farmers and their families to take care in the sun. A hotline to deal with skin care queries will be launched, to run until the end of August. The number is 1800 200700.