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16th May 2023
12:55pm BST

Credit: Getty[/caption]
The Irish Cancer Society has resources online about sun safety, with their SunSmart Code giving advice to anyone during warmer months.
Step 1: Seek some shade. This allows for 75% more protection from harmful UV rays as they hit directly from the sun and indirectly as they break through clouds or reflect off surfaces.
Step 2: Slip on some clothes. Covering your skin as much as possible is the best way to avoid UV rays, with darker colours blocking them the best and linen, cotton and hemp being the most ideal fabrics to wear.
Step 3: Wear sunglasses. Protecting your eyes is also extremely important as the short term effects can lead to difficulty with bright lights, excessive blinking and sunburn of the part of the eye known as the cornea whereas long term exposure can lead to cataracts and cancer.
Step 4: Use sunscreen. Sunscreen is the most important part of sun protection as it reduces your risk of skin cancer. To learn more, check out this article we previously posted about SPF.
Step 5: Know the UV index. If the UV Index is 3 or more you are at greater risk of skin damage, so getting into the habit of checking this each day is the best way to plan ahead of time.
You can check the UV Index here.