IRELAND AM host Muireann O’Connell was left shocked after discovering kids as young as 10 are using sunbeds.
The Limerick native was discussing the grim reality of sunbed use in Ireland with Dr Caoimhe Hartley on the back of bleak new statistics showing some 5.2 per cent of 10-year-olds to 17-year-olds have used sunbeds here.
Muireann, hosting alongside Alan Hughes and Tommy Bowe, was wide-eyed as she read out the dire statistic.
Dr Caoimhe told the hosts: “Yes, there has been an increase in younger people using sunbeds and it’s really surprising because I thought they had gone completely out of fashion.”
Muireann, 41, revealed how she had recently been in a store in Dublin city centre when a young girl said: “Oh, don’t look at me I haven’t done my sunbed today.”
The TV star added: “She was just 21-years-old and I was like, ‘Sorry?’.”
The popular presenter explained how she got chatting to five of the young women inside the shop who were between the ages of 18 and 22.
She exclaimed: “They all did sunbeds!”
But, that wasn’t the major shock of the story, as a visibly stunned Muireann highlighted: “But here, we are talking about kids as young as 10 doing sunbeds?”
A baffled Alan cut across and added: “But surely these are the parents allowing this? A 10-year-old is not deciding to go in and get sunbeds done.”
Dr Caoimhe pointed out that those who own sunbeds should be held responsible for allowing such young children to use their services.
She added: “There are regulations saying that people under the age of 18 shouldn’t be allowed to use a sunbed as we know the damage it can do.
“There is no safe level of usage, you can’t just say, ‘Well I only use it once or twice a week’.”
Dr Caoimhe provided results from research which showed that people under 35 using sunbeds “at all” will increase their risk of developing skin cancer.
The GP then listed common factors which could heighten your risk of skin cancer.
COMMON FACTOR
She said: “Being fair-skinned or burning easily, having a history of more than three severe sunburns in the past, having blue or green eyes.
“People who smoke are at an increased risk, people on certain medications, but any sunbed usage at all will increase your risk.”
Ireland AM viewers were all left gobsmacked at the information as they took to social media.
Anne wrote on Instagram: “This is shocking how kids are allowed to do them.”
Maggie said: “10 years old children USE SUNBEDS….SERIOUSLY? where?”
Lynn added: “Now this is shocking.”
While Mary remarked: “Disgraceful.”
Muireann and Tommy were previously left shocked at a guest’s “terrifying” on-air sunbeds confession.
Personal trainer Karrieann McDonnell told how she “quickly” took to using sunbeds after they had one installed at the gym she worked at.
She said: “I started off doing five minutes on them three times a week and then it gradually built up to six minutes and eight minutes.
“Over the years it then went on to be 20 minutes.”
Tommy and Muireann went completely wide-eyed at Karrieann’s admission of her weekly sunbed use.
The Monaghan host exclaimed: “20 minutes a go!”
Karrieann has since dedicated herself to warning others against the dangers of sunbeds, after having 19 different melanomas removed.
