Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_06_26/GA_2606_E1_011.pdf 

Extracted text

June 30 2005

in summer

11

Beyond the Pale
Sometime around the 1950s tanning became fashionable. Golden tanned skin was in, it was the look everyone wanted. Movies stars, singers, celebrities all sported bronzed bodies and so the trend was set. Previous generations regarded tanned skin as lower class, signifying those who worked in the fields, whereas pristine white epidermis proclaimed one's status as privileged. Even in Ireland where our natural colour is ordained by our climate, pale white skin, previously the hallmark of beauty, was now regarded as a pasty, wan, even unhealthy looking. Tanned symbolised health and

Man is the hunter; woman is his game: The sleek and shining creatures of the chase, We hunt them for the beauty of their skins.
Lord Alfred Tennyson (The Princess, verse 147).

wellbeing. But most of all, the gleaming tan meant affluence. You could afford to travel to sunny places for your hols. But now we know differently. Tanned skin is damaged skin. A survey recently published by the Irish Cancer Society shows that 10 per cent of Irish adults know that skin cancer is the most common

form of cancer in Ireland and 79 per cent know that ultraviolet (UV) burning rays of the sun are the main cause of skin cancer. Most cases of skin cancer are non-malignant and curable but about 100 Irish people die of skin cancer every year. We want to avoid damaging our skin by not over-exposing ourselves to nasty UV rays, but we're not going to look much of a beach babe with bleachwhite skin. So how can we tan safely?

cancer. The message coming from the society's SunSmart code is that there's no such thing as a safe tan. Children are especially vulnerable as they spend more time outdoors and get an average of three times more sun rays than adults. Kids' skins are far more sensitive than adults' and babies under six months should be protected at all times. Enjoy the outdoors, whether in Ireland or abroad, but the advice to

avoid sun damage is as follows: 1.Avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm 2.Wear T-shirts with sleeves and high collars, and long shorts 3.Wear wide-brimmed hats to protect head, face, and neck 4.Wear wrap-around sun glasses 5.Apply high sunscreen protection (at least SPF 15) and re-apply frequently 6.Keep babies out of the sun as much as possible

Avoiding the Mi-Wadi look
Avoid the orange look by choosing your fake tan product carefully, and one that best suits your skin coloration. A good tip is to use plastic gloves and apply cream or lotion with cotton wool. Avoid elbows, backs of knees, heels, soles of feet, crevices between toes and fingers, or the game is up or we all know

your foreign hols went as far as the back garden. Brush-on bronzers are terrific to give your face that golden glow. For the fake tan that looks like God painted it on you, a visit to a beauty salon is the treat you deserve whether it be applied by hand or in a tanning booth. For further information on sun protection contact National Cancer Helpline at 1800 200 700 weekdays 9am-5pm. Website: www.cancer.ie

The Big Cover-Up
Too much confidence is placed in the use of sunscreens and sunblocks and they should be used as part of a wider sunprotective strategy. Cover up and move to the shade when the sun is at its height. Even on a cloudy day in Ireland UV rays penetrate and are responsible for 80-90 per cent of all case of skin