Why Is It Important to Wear Sunscreen?
Not a day should go by where you don’t wear sunscreen. These are the main reasons to wear sunscreen daily.
No matter the day, weather, season, or environment, you should never go without applying sunscreen to your skin. Daily use of sunscreen is paramount, particularly if you want to keep your skin looking good and as healthy as possible for the long term. But without sunscreen and ample sun protection, the skin easily falls victim to burning, aging, and even skin cancer-producing UV rays, compromising the skin’s integrity and appearance in more ways than one. So, if you really want to know why wearing sunscreen is imperative year-round, we have all the answers you need—and more—ahead.
1. It Protects Against Harmful UV Rays
The main reason to wear sunscreen is that it acts as a protective shield between your skin and the sun, providing a layer of much-needed protection against both UVA (responsible for aging the skin) and UVB (known to cause sunburns) rays. Leaving the skin unprotected yet exposed to the sun can also lead to premature aging, photodamage, and an increased risk of skin cancer.
Any good sunscreen boasts an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30 or higher, although you can find SPFs that are far lower than that. SPF is a number that specifies how well the sunscreen can filter out the sun’s harmful UV rays. The higher the SPF, the more protection there is.
2. It Helps Prevent Sunburn and Skin Damage
Consistently wearing sunscreen daily is crucial for maintaining youthful skin. Dermatologists universally advocate for its use to prevent sunburns, redness, inflammation, premature aging, and photodamage. Even minimal sun exposure can lead to long-term damage like wrinkles and dark spots. Sunscreen serves as the most effective anti-aging measure, safeguarding the skin’s protective barrier and slowing the signs of aging.
3. A Reduced Risk of Skin Cancer
Failure to protect the skin from sun exposure is a known risk of increased skin cancer; scientific correlate the two. That’s why wearing. sunscreen every day is vital to prevent skin cancer. Unfortunately, the research does not lie, and statistics show that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. The simple act of protecting your skin daily with sunscreen can drastically reduce your risk of skin cancer, particularly melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. To make the most of your sun-protecting efforts, wear sunscreens with a higher SPF to reduce exposure to the sun’s damaging rays.
Do You Really Need Sunscreen Every Day?
No matter where you live, the weather outside, the season, or the time of year, wearing sunscreen 365 is an absolute must.
UV Exposure is Present Even on Cloudy Days and Indoors
While you may think that the sun poses no threat to your skin on cloudy or work-from-home days, the truth is that UV rays are powerful. They can penetrate through the clouds—even on the coldest and snowiest of winter days—and even windows in your car and home, causing unsuspecting skin damage. For this reason alone, you never want to leave your skin unprotected from the sun, and you should always wear sunscreen and reapply it even when you are inside your house or the weather forecast calls for an overcast or snowy day since approximately 80% of UV rays can pass through the clouds and penetrate the skin. Plus, the blue light emitted from your computer, phone, or television screens and overhead lighting can also cause skin damage, so ensuring your skin is well protected with sunscreen can also help prevent skin damage caused by these factors.
Not Wearing Sunscreen Daily Leads to Cumulative UV Damage
Consistent sunscreen use is vital because UV damage accumulates over time, leading to premature aging of the skin. Without daily protection, UV exposure can harm elastin, collagen, and skin cells, resulting in discoloration, age spots, wrinkles, and texture changes. Regular sunscreen application helps mitigate these effects and preserves skin health.