Sunscreen is a popular skin protection agent most often worn at the beach or by the pool. However, there are many benefits to wearing sunscreen every day and not just in the most sunny areas. Contrary to popular belief, you can still catch a sunburn even when it is cloudy or overcast. Ultraviolet rays from the sun penetrate even heavy cloud layers, making it advisable to wear sunscreen in almost all weather conditions. Some of the many benefits of wearing sunscreen daily include protecting against ultraviolet rays and reducing your risk for inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and skin discoloration. In the following article, we outline 8 reasons to wear sunscreen every day.
Wearing sunscreen every day is one of the cornerstones of a successful skincare and general health routine. Without sunscreen, skin is damaged and worn away over time by sun exposure. However, sunscreen can do much more than simply protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. Sunscreen has been shown to prevent skin degradation, help maintain skin complexion, and fight back against the negative impacts of aging.
From reducing your risk for skin cancer and infection, to maintaining skin tone and pigmentation, the following are 8 reasons to wear sunscreen every day.
Daily use of sunscreen that contains at least 15 SPF can dramatically reduce your risk for skin cancer. If an excess of ultraviolet radiation from the sun enters the skin, it can damage and even kill skin cells. While some cells at the surface may shed and fall off, those that are farther in can become cancerous. Wearing sunscreen has been found to decrease the risk of developing melanoma cancer by 50% and squamous cell carcinoma by more than 40%.
Sunscreen works to prevent pigment discoloration and unevenness. When you stand in the sun, each area of your skin is affected by a different amount and frequency of ultraviolet rays. Over time, consistent exposure can cause certain areas, most often the neck and face, to become discolored compared to the rest of the skin. An even application of sunscreen across the entire body can work to prevent skin discoloration.
While it is true that those with darker skin tones tend to burn less easily, everyone can catch a sunburn with enough exposure. It is also important to note that just ultraviolet rays can still cause damage to the skin and underlying cells, even if a sunburn is not immediately present. Sunburn is an immediate reaction to sun exposure that not all people experience.
Nowadays, sunscreen is more accessible than ever before. It can be purchased from super markets, convenience stores, and major retailers like Target for fairly. In addition, most lifeguards at pools and beaches have extra sunscreen that you can borrow if you need some.
A nasty sunburn can lead to more than just mild pain and peeling skin. Prolonged, severe sun exposure can cause heat stroke and heat exhaustion, conditions in which the body is unable to cool itself down. When left untreated, heat stroke and exhaustion can cause muscle cramps, nausea, and even permanent organ damage.
Excess sun exposure can increase the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It may also lead to the appearance of brown and red spots on the skin which fail to disappear even after sun exposure ends. An even, layered application of sunscreen across the entire body will work to prevent certain areas from becoming more dark than others.
Hyperpigmentation is a common, harmless condition in which certain patches of skin become darker than others. These spots are known as sun spots or age spots, and are sometimes irreversible. Daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen has been shown to help prevent hyperpigmentation.
The ozone layer is a protective layer of the atmosphere which absorbs significant amounts of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Without the ozone layer, the sun would be much more powerful than it currently is. Unfortunately, certain industrial and anti-environmental practices have slowly worn away at the ozone layer. As the ozone layer is depleted, the sun’s rays become more powerful, and the risk for sunburn and skin cancer rises as a result.
Experts suggest that most people begin by spreading one ounce of sunscreen across multiple areas of their body. A thorough application of sunscreen covers the face, ears, neck, arms, hands, and any other exposed body part. You should add about .05 ounces of sunscreen to your face. While it might be difficult to measure out these exact amounts every time you apply, you can use the cap of the bottle as a helpful measurement tool. If significant sun exposure continues, it is advisable to reapply sunscreen every two hours, as the protecting effects of sunscreen will diminish over time.
Sunscreen comes in multiple varieties which vary based on their sun protection factor, or SPF. A sunscreen with a higher SPF offers better and longer protection against the sun. Most dermatologists recommend using a sunscreen with at least 50 SPF. A sunscreen with an SPF of 50 will block at least 97% of the sun’s rays. While there exist sunscreens with SPF factors as high as 100, experts say the returns of increasing sun protection begin to diminish around 50 SPF.
Wearing sunscreen at night might seem counter intuitive at first, but there are a number of benefits. These include the following:
Sunscreen is a skin protection agent that works to prevent ultraviolet radiation from damaging skin and cell tissue. It comes in many varieties at different levels of sun protection factor, or SPF.
Sunscreen should be applied one ounce at a time to the face, ears, neck, arms, and any other exposed area. Wearing sunscreen every day has been shown to lower the risk of skin cancer, protect against UV radiation damage, work against hyperpigmentation, and help maintain skin tone and color.
