Cosmetologists repeatedly stress that on sunny days, you cannot go outside without applying sunscreen. Not using cosmetics with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) can have serious health and beauty consequences.
However, don’t shy away from the sun entirely. It provides essential vitamin D and boosts your mood. Nonetheless, proper protection against direct UV rays is crucial. Even if you don’t burn easily, the harmful effects of not wearing sunscreen will catch up with your health over time.
Understanding UV Radiation
Visible light comprises waves of various lengths, but only ultraviolet (UV) light is known to affect our skin, leading to tanning and sunburns.
Furthermore, UV rays consist of UVA and UVB rays, both of which pose significant risks to our health:
- UVA rays have long wavelengths – UVA radiation is always here, penetrating everything, including the cells inside our skin, therefore, dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen under all weather conditions;
- UVB are short rays – they are especially active on sunny days from 10 am to 4 pm and are the primary cause of our tanning or sunburn, as well as various types of skin cancer.
You’ve probably also heard about the ultraviolet index, which just shows the level of UVB radiation. Therefore, you cannot focus only on this index, because there are also long UVA rays out there.
Note: The SPF rating on most sunscreens refers to protection against UVB rays. You should look for sunscreens that have broad action – they are equally effective against UVB and UVA rays.
Short-Term Consequences of UV Exposure
Exposure to UV radiation makes our skin look and feel rough. In the short run, it can lead to many negative consequences.
Freckles, Age Spots, and Keratomas
Even after a few hours in the open sun, dark, yellowish, or red spots might appear on the skin. These quick effects are called discoloration, hyperpigmentation, or hypopigmentation. Getting rid of them is very difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.
A quality sunscreen can help. It will work on the surface, maintaining an even skin tone. However, and that’s something you should always remember, cosmetics with SPF are only intended for prevention. If you already have freckles or age spots, then the ingredients in the sunscreen, no matter how good they are, will not help you get rid of the damage entirely.
Burns and Scars
It is worth noting that some medications and foods increase the skin's sensitivity to light. This means that even short-term exposure to sunlight leads to micro-burns and scars. If there are open wounds anywhere on your body (e.g., cuts, or even acne), then the sun will only activate the scarring process.
Spider Veins
Under the influence of ultraviolet light, small spider veins may appear on exposed areas of the skin. They are harmless to health, but look awful. To remove them, you must undergo a micro-operation performed by a professional phlebologist. While it is much wiser and cheaper to use sun protection as a preventive measure.
Long-Term Consequences of UV Exposure
The long term effects of not wearing sunscreen are cunning and dangerous – we don’t see and feel them until it’s too late. Acknowledging their risks and taking the necessary preventive measures is the best approach.
Premature Aging
Research from the American Skin Cancer Foundation revealed that signs of aging (creases, age spots, fine lines) appeared in only 20% of people who regularly used SPF filters throughout the year. Whereas, new age spots and wrinkles were detected in 75% of participants who refused any sun protection.
The sun's rays quickly dry out the skin and deprive it of its natural moisture. As a result, peeling appears. Regularly applied moisturizer can reduce the risk of wrinkles, but not age spots. The fact is that products with SPF create a protective physical or chemical barrier on the skin. Whereas, cosmetics without any SPF can even increase the impact of ultraviolet radiation.
Skin Cancer
The World Health Organization’s statistics show that melanoma is among the ten most common cancers. A complete refusal to use cosmetics with SPF increases the risk of developing cancer by 70%. It is better not to play dice with your health and use sunscreen daily with an SPF level of at least 30.
Please note that the UVA rays are not blocked by clouds. Therefore, you must use sunscreen even in cloudy weather.
How to Use Sunscreen Properly
To ensure the degree of protection stated on the product bottle, apply at least 1 ml of cream to your face, neck, and décolleté area. If you apply less, the protection level will be diminished.
In the city, when you know that you won’t be in the sun for a long time, you can apply a little less. At the same time, in problematic areas (with pigmentation, irritation, etc.), you should allocate more cream.
The application of various skincare products should include the following steps:
- Moisturizer.
- Sunscreen.
- Foundation/powder (if needed).
For the maximum effect, use the lightest possible moisturizer and let the skin fully absorb it for at least 10 minutes before applying sunscreen.
Sunscreen is our shield, which can be “erased” by touching the face, placing the cheek on a pillow, sweating, swimming, scratching, etc.
The standard of care is to renew the sunscreen every 2–3 hours. However, one thing is when you spend all day on the beach, but it must be different when you sit in the office. In the first scenario, you should reapply the product every 2 hours, without saving money.
Conclusion
It’s sad but true: many women don’t know how to use sunscreen properly. However, awareness is growing, as is the number of regular sunscreen users.
There is a category of people for whom a proper sunscreen routine is especially important. Those with skin pigmentation issues, autoimmune diseases, and fair skin should particularly take care to protect themselves from UV radiation.
