The Benefits of Wearing Sunscreen

1) It protects your skin from the UV rays

Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, our skin has an increased risk of being damaged from very harmful UV rays. Sunscreen blocks these harmful rays.

2) It lowers your skin cancer risk

Skin cancer is amongst the most common forms of cancer, especially in sunnier countries. Applying sunscreen can cut the risk of contracting skin cancers and pre caners in half. Moreover, the Skin Cancer Foundation claims that applying sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15 reduces your chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 40% and your melanoma risk (the deadliest skin cancer) by 50%.

3) It prevents premature ageing

Lengthy exposure to UVA rays prematurely ages your skin and results in the loss of collagen and skin elasticity. Approximately 90%  of visible signs of aging, such as fine lines and crow’s feet, are caused by sun damage.

4) It helps maintain an even skin tone

Sun damage can create uneven skin pigmentation and dark spots, so using sunscreen will prevent this from happening.

5) It prevents sunburns

Even if you don’t get sunburnt easily, your skin is still prone to sun damage. Sunlight consists of 2 types of harmful rays, UVA and UVB. UVB rays are the ones which are responsible for sunburn and are said to cause the most skin cancers. Sunburns are not only annoying because they are super painful but they are directly linked to the most deadly types of cancer. Thankfully sunscreen defends defends the skin against UV rays by absorbing, reflecting and scattering sunlight.

6) It stops DNA damage

Scientific studies have found that sunlight induces DNA damage and can trigger skin carcinogenesis and photoaging. Studies state: “Many of the deleterious human health effects that result from sunlight exposure are associated with a chain of events that begins with the formation of DNA damage. These lesions can lead to inflammatory and immunosuppressive processes in the epithelial tissue as well as accelerated aging and tumor development.”

Why Sunscreen Should Be Used Even On Cloudy Days

Sunscreen really should be used every day since the UV light emitted steadily and silently attacks your skin all year round, rain or shine. In fact up to 80% of the sun’s rays are able to pass through clouds and snow is able to reflect 80% of UV rays. Over the years this will lead to early ageing as sun damage is the number 1 cause of premature ageing. However it is never too late to start protecting your skin, so if you’re not wearing sunscreen everyday it’s time to start!

Which Sunscreen Is Best for You?

There are loads of different types of sunscreens for any occasion and any event. So if you hate putting on sunscreen you just need to find the right one for you. Here’s a breakdown of them;

• Everyday sunscreen: this should be a moisturizing broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30+
• Tinted sunscreen: this can be used instead of foundation
• Powder sunscreen: this can be used throughout the day and makes reapplications super easy
• Waterproof sunscreen: this is the best choice for outdoor activities, especially swimming

The Best Way to Apply Sunscreen

Sunscreen should be applied around 15 minutes before going out and should be reapplied every 2 hours, especially after swimming or sweating heavily.

Sunscreen Myths You Should Avoid Saying

1. “I never get sunburnt”– even if you do not burn easily that should not be the reason you don’t apply sunscreen. It is used to protect us from the UVA and UVB rays
2. “I have darker skin so I don’t need sunscreen”– people with lighter skin are more at risk rather than the people with more melanin in their skin but in reality any skin type is able to get skin cancer, so don’t take any chances.
3. “I have an SPF 100 sunscreen so I do not need to reapply”– the truth is SPF 30-SPF 50 is more than enough to protect us against the UV rays. And more SPF does not mean that the sunscreen lasts longer, it actually means that there would be many more chemicals in the sunscreen which can pose health risks-hence why it is not allowed to be imported to Malta
4. “Reapplying is too much of a hassle”– this is no excuse, especially when we spend long hours in the sun. there are also so many different types of sunscreens such as powders, sticks, lotions and sprays which make it so convenient to reapply. The secret is to find the best one for you
5. “Its cloudy outside”– 80% of sun rays can pass through clouds, which makes it no different to a sunny day

THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU SHOULD AVOID SAYING:

“I want to tan”

The notion that wearing sunscreen will prevent you from tanning is absolutely false. No, it does not prevent you from tanning but rather from burning; you’ll tan based on your skin’s melanin, not on how much sunscreen you have on. So make sure to stay safe in the sun with a sunscreen you love!