HSE SunSmart Campaign 2026: Young People Urged to Protect Their Skin
The HSE is urging young people to be SunSmart after research showed 84% of Gen Z were sunburned at least once last year.
New research shows a sharp rise in sunburn among Gen Z, with the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme and Healthy Ireland launching this year's SunSmart campaign to tackle Ireland's growing skin cancer rates.
Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in Ireland, with more than 11,000 cases diagnosed every year. The HSE says almost all cases are preventable.
New research reveals a worrying trend among young people. Some 84% of Gen Z experienced sunburn at least once in the past year, up from 73% in 2024 and 66% in 2023. Teenagers and young adults remain the least likely to use protective measures beyond sunscreen, and the most likely to use sunbeds.
The HSE warns that UV exposure during the first 10 to 15 years of life has a disproportionate impact on lifetime skin cancer risk, with just three episodes of severe sunburn before age 20 more than doubling the risk of melanoma in adulthood.
Dr Breeda Neville, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the HSE's NCCP, said:
"Sunburn is not a minor inconvenience - it is visible evidence of skin damage that accumulates over time. We want young people, parents, schools, sports clubs and workplaces to help make sun protection a daily habit, not an afterthought."
The campaign promotes the Healthy Ireland SunSmart 5 S's: slip on covering clothing, slop on sunscreen (SPF 30+ for adults, SPF 50+ for children), slap on a wide-brimmed hat, seek shade especially between 11am and 3pm, and slide on wraparound sunglasses. The public is also reminded not to deliberately tan, to avoid sunburn, and never to use sunbeds.
Dr Blaithin Moriarty, Consultant Dermatologist at St Vincent's University Hospital, said:
"Skin damage doesn't only happen on holidays in hot climates. In Ireland, the sun is often strong enough to cause harm - even on cloudy days. Spending time in the shade, wearing protective clothing and regularly applying sunscreen are essential. Just one bad sunburn can damage your skin's DNA and increase your lifetime risk of skin cancer, including melanoma. That risk is even higher when burns occur in childhood or adolescence."
Further information is available at hse.ie/sunsmart.