Hopes of a long, hot summer may be fading, but there are still a lot of people getting tans. The Irish Cancer Society has expressed concern that the lack of sunshine has encouraged more people to use sunbeds.
Dr Cal Condon, consultant dermatologist at Dublin's Blackrock Clinic and Charlemont Clinic, said there was no doubt that sunbeds increased the risk of skin cancer.
"We have been saying for a long time that it's a public health issue," he said.
Dr Condon said the lack of controls meant people could cause serious long-term skin damage through repeated use. The dreary weather has also encouraged more people to take sun holidays, so tanning salons are busy as people seek a tan before they go abroad.
Ms Lisa Holland, health promotion officer with the Irish Cancer Society, said the number of outlets with sunbeds had "really increased" in recent years.
Within the past two years, the video chain Chartbusters has opened more than 40 "Tan.ie" outlets at its video shops.
A spokeswoman said demand was very high this summer.
Other sunbed operators were unwilling to comment on business, with one firm saying the sector had already received a lot of critical comment.
There are more than 5,500 cases of skin cancer in this State every year, and about 375 of these are malignant melanomas.
The last five years has seen a slight reduction in the number of malignant melanomas in women but an increase in the number in men.
