A study conducted by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that men are less likely to use sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun.
According to a CNN study, only 14.3 percent of men confirmed that they regularly use sunscreen.
“The Low sunscreen use we observed among men is consistent with other studies that found men may view sunscreen as too feminine…,” says Dawn Holman, a behavioral scientist at the CDC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control in Chamblee, Georgia, reports Fox News.
Here are 4 facts you need to know next time you decide to go for a sunbath-
UVA and UVB Rays- What Is The Difference? – According to Sonya Lunder, senior analyst in the study, “UVB are higher energy and are responsible for sunburn. UVA rays are lower energy and are more constant year-round, can go through glass and they are related to skin ageing, known to depress the immune system, and are linked to melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.”
Sunburns Increase The Risk Of Future Melanomas – CNN states that the risk of developing melanomas increases with “each additional sunburn and asks, to avoid sunburn, no matter your age.” “Each phase of life matters, so even if you’ve never used sunscreen in the past you’re still going to reap benefits by starting today. By staying sun-safe and avoiding sunburn, you still have a chance to reduce your risk,” says Holman.
Spray-on Sunscreens Are Not As Effective– Experts believe consumers tend to apply an insufficient amount of spray-on sunscreen. Hence, they cannot effectively protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun. “With lotions, you know how much you are applying to your skin, and that’s important because you want to know that you are putting on an adequate amount to protect your skin,” says Holman.
Higher SPF Does Not Protect Skin Better– “As SPF gets higher and higher, you really aren’t getting a proportional increase in the amount of UVA protection because the chemical levels allowed to be added to U.S. sunscreens maxes out around 20 SPF,” Lunder says.
Australian researchers report that people who apply sunscreen every day show 24% less skin ageing compared to participants who only used sunscreen part of the time. There is no bad time to start using sunscreen. It is always better to be late than never. Enjoy the sun 365 days a year with a generous dab of sunscreen.