We’ve all been guilty of it. You stock your cupboards full of sunscreen during the summer. Once winter comes around, you forget all about it. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of sunscreen. If you can only put one product on your face in the morning, it should be an SPF. We’ve all fallen for the myth that you only need to wear sunscreen when the sun is out. Even when you can’t see it, the sun is still damaging your skin. We’re rounding up five of the reasons why you should be wearing sunscreen 365 days a year – even when you’re staying indoors!
Meet UVA and UVB – Your Skin’s Worst Enemy
How does the sun damage your skin? It produces two types of ultraviolet light, ultraviolet A and B. The radiation from this light attacks our cells and causes mutations to their genetic makeup, which is why your skin can become sunburnt. Ultraviolet B is also how skin cancer can occur. Ultraviolet A penetrates deeper into your skin, accelerating the ageing process and causing fine lines and wrinkles to develop on your skin. Wearing sunscreen every day reduces your risk of skin cancer in half.
Even When You Don’t See It, The Sun Is There
UV light doesn’t disappear during the colder months. While your skin is most at-risk during the summer months, you can suffer UV damage even in the dead of winter. UV light is there all year round, so you want to make sure sunscreen is a consistent part of your skincare routine. It should come just after your moisturizer and before you apply your makeup. You want to be wearing at least an SPF30 all year round. During the summer, make sure to top up on your sunscreen throughout the day and choose a higher SPF.
Sun Damaging is the Leading Cause of Premature Ageing
Sun damage makes your skin appear older by causing dark spots, fine line, and wrinkles. These all lead to an uneven texture forming on your skin, causing you to look older. Even when you’re indoors, the sunlight that slips in through your windows contains UVA light, which results in photo-ageing. Studies have shown that wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent premature ageing.
Sunscreen Helps Prevent Hyperpigmentation + Inflammation
You might not realise it, but the redness and hyperpigmentation in your skin are likely the results of UV radiation. Hyperpigmentation is usually the result of sun exposure, which can mess with your skin’s melanin production. UV radiation can cause inflammation in your skin by damaging the DNA of the cells that protect your immune system, allowing free radicals to attack your skin.
It Also Protects Against Blue Light
We all spend our lives sitting in front of screens. Whether it’s checking our emails or watching Netflix, we rarely take a break from the digital world. Did you know that blue light is also damaging your skin in the same way that the sun can? You want to be wearing a daily SPF to help protect your skin from blue-light damage, which can cause the same myriad of problems as sun damage. Keep an eye out for an SPF which contains zinc oxide, as this will help protect your skin from blue-light as well as UVA and UVB.
