It’s summer-time and many of us are looking to get that sun-kissed glow on our skin.

But sunshine and good weather is never guaranteed.

While some people believe that tanned skin looks healthier, tanned skin is actually a sign of skin damage.

One of the riskiest ways to get a tan is to use a sunbed. Using them exposes your skin to large amounts of UV rays which increase the risk of developing skin cancer.

Overexposure to UV rays leads to tanning, redness or burning of the skin. This causes damage to skin cells. While much of this damage is repaired, some remains and can lead to skin cancer.

According to the Irish Cancer Society , skin cancer is the fastest growing cancer in Ireland. Over 11,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Around 1,000 of these are melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

The WHO have said that if you’ve ever used a sunbed, this can increase the risk of melanoma by 20%.

One sunbed session can increase the risk of developing squamous cell skin cancer by 67% and basal cell skin cancer by 29%.

Here are five ways you can reduce your risk of skin cancer:

Seek some shade

Spending time in the shade is the most effective thing you can do to avoid the sun. Good shade can protect you from up to 75% of UV rays.

When outdoors, UV rays can reach you in one of two ways:

  • Directly from the sun.
  • Indirectly scattered by clouds or particles in the atmosphere. They can also reflect from surfaces like snow, sea water and concrete.

Some UV rays can pass through windows. Generally car, home and office windows block most UVB rays but less of the UVA rays. As a result, UV radiation that comes through windows probably doesn’t pose a great risk to most people unless they spend long periods of time close to a window.

If you are someone who sits at a window all day or drives a lot in the course of your day, you need to use clothes and sunscreen to protect your skin.

Wear the right clothes

One of the best ways to protect yourself from UV rays is by wearing the right clothes.

Protective clothes are the best way to prevent skin cancer. The best materials are linen, cotton and hemp. Also look for dark clothes with SPF protection.

Avoid clothes that stretch, are wet or thread bear. Don't forget to wear a hat!

Wear sunglasses

Your eyes can be damaged by UV rays too.

  • Short-term UV exposure can result in mild irritation, difficulty with bright lights, excessive blinking and sunburn of the part of the eye known as the cornea.
  • Long-term exposure can result in cataracts and cancer.

Choosing to wear a hat that gives shade to the eyes and sunglasses that give UV protection can help protect your eyes from these conditions.

Eye damage from UV rays can start at an early age. For this reason it is a good idea to protect children’s eyes with sunglasses when they are old enough to wear them. Make sure the glasses fit well and that they are not a safety hazard.

Toy sunglasses do not provide protection from UV rays. If a child refuses to wear sunglasses don’t forget that a broad brimmed hat and shade will also give some protection.

The Irish Cancer Society particularly mentions wrap around sunglasses.

Wear sunscreen

Use sunscreen with minimum SPF 30. April to September is the time of the year people in  Ireland  are urged to wear sunscreen but you need to do more than just wear sunscreen to protect from the sun.

Know the UV index

When the UV Index is 3 or more you are at greater risk of skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. Get into the habit of checking the UV Index as a reminder of the need to be SunSmart every day from April to September.

Read more about the UV index and what it means  here .

You can find out more on the Irish Cancer Society's website here .

Download the RSVPLive App today

Keep up-to-date with all the very latest celebrity, health, beauty, parenting and entertainment news with the RSVPLive.ie app

Only select news that interests you by picking the topics you want to display on the app's homepage.

Plus, our enhanced user experience includes live blogs, video, interactive maps and slick picture galleries.

Download it now and get involved.

Click here to download from the app store. or here for Google Play.