Everyone knows the importance of wearing sunscreen when they hit the beach, but not as many people know that sunscreen is important all of the time. Anytime you go outside, you need to take precautions to protect your skin. This is even important on cloudy days! Up to 80% of sunrays penetrate cloud cover, meaning that they can still do damage to your skin. Reflective surfaces, such as water or snow, can also increase the likelihood of damage caused by UV rays.
Aging
Damage from the sun can cause your skin to age prematurely. It can lead to unsightly wrinkles and can cause the skin to develop a leathery appearance. Using sunscreen can also help your skin maintain an even skin tone.
Sunburns
Sunburns are painful and embarrassing! A desire to tan can lead to a lobster red complexion. There are easier and safer options. If you want to look tanned, use a tanning lotion or spray tan rather than spending time in a tanning bed.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the leading cause of cancer. Even if you don’t burn easily, you are still at risk of getting skin cancer. Though sunburns appear immediately, skin cancer builds up over time. Longtime exposure to the sun can significantly increase your risk of skin cancer.
How to Protect your Skin
For all of these reasons, it is important to protect your skin from damage caused by the sun. You should apply sunscreen anytime you go outside. Use products that contain sunscreen, like certain lipsticks, foundations, or moisturizers. Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours whenever you are outside.
When you are outside, you should try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Wear protective clothing, like hats or visors. If you have sensitive skin, you can use mineral sunscreen instead of chemical sunscreen. It is less likely to irritate skin or clog pores.
Sunscreen is absolutely necessary to protect your skin. It should not only be worn in the summer, it should be worn year round. To learn more about the best way to keep your skin healthy, contact us at Intermountain Aesthetics MD Spa today!
