Six reasons why you should wear sunscreen every day
There are plenty of reasons to wear sunscreen every day, from preventing skin diseases to helping your skin look happy and healthy.
Regular application of sunscreen is a must if you want to protect your skin and avoid wrinkles over time. Getting some sun on your epidermis is healthy, but too much can lead to negative health consequences. That said, here are six of the key reasons to use sunscreen on a daily basis.
1) To preserve your skin
Excessive exposure to UV rays can cause wrinkles in the long run as well as premature aging known as photo-aging. Without sunscreen, sunlight can damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, but moisturizing your skin after exposure to sunlight along with sunscreen application can help prevent the signs of sun exposure.
Differences in sun exposure to different body parts can also cause skin discoloration over time. Dark spots sometimes occur after prolonged skin damage, but using mineral face sunscreen can help prevent sun spots and other blemishes. You can also keep other items on hand, like a UV-resistant umbrella for extra protection against the sun’s potent UV rays.
2) To help prevent skin cancer
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, but there are some simple ways to avoid cancer-causing UV rays and still get the benefits of sunlight. In order to give yourself the best chance of preventing skin diseases like melanoma, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine recommends applying sunscreen every two hours, especially in cases where you’re swimming or sweating profusely.
Besides sun exposure, there are other risk factors for skin cancer, such as having lighter skin, certain types of moles, and a family history of skin cancer—all of which can increase your chances of getting a kind of skin disease.
3) It can help fight inflammation
Time spent out in the sun generally leads to inflammation in the form of redness or a sunburn. Sunscreen can help prevent this inflammation. Some types of sunscreen even contain aloe and other ingredients like zinc to help ease inflammation and any associated pain.
4) It can help to maintain healthy blood vessels
Telangiectasia occurs after excessive exposure to UV rays, and the most common symptom is damaged blood vessels along the epidermis, which causes them to thin. This can appear in the form of bruising or bleeding, but sunscreen can help preserve the health of your blood vessels and prevent breakouts on your skin.
5) You can still get burned on cloudy days
It’s a common misconception that you can’t get sunburned when the sun isn’t out. However, the truth is that ultraviolet radiation can still damage our skin on cloudy days. In many cases, you’re at greater risk of getting burned on a cloudy day because you aren’t aware of the sun and probably aren’t wearing sunscreen.
This is another important reason to consider wearing sunscreen every day, staying in the shade, and putting on a sunproof hat—even when it’s cloudy.
6) Medications can increase your photosensitivity
Certain medications can also make you more susceptible to the sun’s rays. It’s important to know how your medication may cause your skin to interact with the sun, but wearing sunscreen can help prevent any adverse reactions. Most guidelines recommend applying sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside so that the sunscreen can attach to your skin.
Taking care of your skin is extremely important for your long-term health and can also help you keep a boost in confidence with better-looking skin. Consider keeping sunscreen in your purse or your car so that you always have it handy and you don’t miss a day without sunscreen.
Photo by Stanley Dai
