Do you consider weather as the deciding factor for wearing sunscreen?
If yes, it is high time you understand that the skin needs sunscreen all year round.
For those individuals who think the days are short in winters and cold temperatures mean the sun isn’t strong, it is important to understand that you need to wear sunscreen.
First of all, skin in winter needs care. The cold air and heating in rooms dries out the skin. Moreover, winter skin is more sensitive to sun than tanned summer skin because your skin is not used to UV radiation and melanin concentration is reduced.
Here’s why you need to wear sunscreen every day in Winter.
The UV radiations can penetrate through Winter clouds.
Samer Jaber MD, of Washington Square Dermatology in New York City explains, “UVA are always present, and can penetrate clouds, glass, and deeper into the skin. UVA damages deeper skin layers, resulting in premature aging and increased risk of skin cancer.”
“UVB rays, on the other hand, vary in intensity and season. UVB rays are greater on sunny days during the summer. They damage the more superficial layers of the skin, resulting in sunburns and skin cancer,” he says. To conclude, it can be said that UVA rays are potent year-round, therefore your skin needs year-round protection.
Sunscreen has useful anti-aging properties.
“UV rays damage collagen and elastin in your skin, resulting in acceleration of fine lines and wrinkles,” says Dr. Jaber. “There have been numerous studies that have shown that regular use of sunscreen has anti-aging effects, but the best was an Australian study published in 2013,” says Dr. Jaber.
“Researchers compared skin ageing in 900 men and women from Australia over a four-year period. They found that those that used sunscreen daily, had no detectable increase in skin aging! Overall, they had 24 percent less aging than those that did not wear sunscreen. The average age of participants was 39, so it shows it is never too late to start wearing sunscreen!”
The health benefits of using sunscreen.
Winter has always been considered as the most vulnerable to skin cancer. ‘An estimated one in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetimes,’ says Dr. Jaber. “The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone wear sunscreen daily. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) results in free radical formation, DNA damage, and DNA mutations. Repeat DNA damage can result in skin cancer, and 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with UV exposure from the sun.”
So, start wearing sunscreen for a clear, healthy skin while protecting from sun damage.