Going On Holidays This Summer? You Might Want To Add This Item To Your List!

Heading to the beach is a popular summertime hobby, whether you’re at home or away, but it’s not without its drawbacks. In fact, we’re pretty sure almost everyone has ended up burnt after spending a day by the sea. And while 8 in 10 have revealed that they do worry about the risks of skin cancer when exposed to the sun, only 2 in 5 wear sun protection during the warmer months in Ireland. The research, conducted by skin experts La Roche-Posay and supported by the Irish Cancer Society, found that people are under the impression that our weather doesn’t warrant the use of sunscreen. In order to spread awareness about this issue, La Roche-Posay have launched ‘My UV Patch’ which is a skin sensor created to monitor UB exposure and educate people about sun protection. Designed in Ireland, the product will be rolled out globally and is a world first. Basically, it is a patch that contains photosensitive dyes which indicate the level of sun exposure. Consumers will be able to take a snap of the patch and upload it to an app which will analyse and determine the whether they should avoid further sun exposure or apply more sun cream. Speaking about it, Kevin O’Hagan, Cancer Prevention Manager with the Irish Cancer Society, said: “Educating people on how and when to protect themselves from the sun and harmful UV rays is one of the first preventative measures we can take to tackle skin cancer.” He added: “We hope that the My UV Patch skin sensor will deliver a step change in people’s awareness of UV exposure and sun protection.   It is fantastic to see smart technology being used in this way to help with such an important public health issue.” The Irish Cancer Society recommends taking the following steps to make sure you are safe in the sun:

• Seek shade
• Cover up
• Wear sunglasses
• Wear sunscreen
• Check the UV index

Click HERE for more information on the 'My UV Patch' and click HERE for more details about being SunSmart.