Did you know that just five sunburns sustained before the age of 20 can increase your risk of melanoma by up to 80 percent?
Statistics like this one prove that education about suncare is essential, both for us as parents, and our little ones – which is why we are totally on board with skincare brand La-Roche Posay’s latest campaign.
Launched in collaboration with the Irish Cancer Society, the aim of the ‘Save Your Skin’ campaign is to educate us – and the next generation – about the importance of suncare.
This is something that Xposé presenter Karen Koster is now all-too aware of since becoming a mother.
Karen – who is mum to two-year-old Finn and one-year-old JJ – has accordingly pledged her support to this very worthy campaign.
Speaking to MummyPages, Karen admitted that she gave up being a ‘sun-worshipper’ once her little darlings came along.
“I became very protective when I became a mother. I just thought, ‘What’s the point? Why am I doing this?’” she said.
“As a mother of very small children, I am now more conscious than ever of the potential threat of UV exposure from the sun. I always ensure that my two are covered up and do not experience too much sun.
“I know that the older and more independent they get, it becomes more of a challenge, so it’s really important that I start to educate them at an early stage.”
For Karen, it’s all about making it into a habit – just like getting toddler Finn to brush his teeth twice a day – and her sun-smart approach has trickled into her own routine, too. She’s not only more observant to skin changes now, but she is also keen to act quicker.
“I have loads of moles,” she explains, “And if I saw a change I would have put off getting it checked out – I would have been nonchalant. But early detection changes everything, so if you don’t feel good, you go and get it checked.”
So, what can we do to adopt and instil positive suncare habits? The ‘Save Your Skin’ campaign has some great suggestions.
- Become a skin-checker; check your skin, and that of your family, for moles and changes.
- Use high-factor sunscreen.
- Try out a La-Roche Posay ‘My UV Patch’; this wearable technology monitors sun exposure and teaches sun-smart behaviour when used in conjunction with the corresponding app.
For more information, check out www.laroche-posay.ie.
