Cork had the highest number of days last year when the sun was strong enough to cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer.

A national campaign urging the Government to publish long-awaited legislation to regulate sunbed use has been launched by the Irish Cancer Society.

DETERMINED not to let the recession rain on their parade, hard-up sun-lovers unable to avail of package holidays are turning to sunbeds to darken their pale complexions.

INCIDENTS of malignant melanoma, the most threatening form of skin cancer, have risen by 80% in 10 years among adults under 50, according to figures from the National Cancer Registry (NCRI).

AS part of a campaign to raise awareness of malignant melanoma members of the Cork camogie and ladies football team visited the Rapid Access Pigmented Lesion Clinic at South Infirmary/Victoria University hospital in Cork recently.

AS the country basks in the summer sun, the Irish Cancer Society has warned that you don’t have to be abroad to be exposed to the dangers of skin cancer.

SCIENTISTS believe children under the age of 16 should be banned from using sunbeds because the cancer risk is so high.