Why You Should Be Wearing Sunscreen Everyday, Even In The House!
As an Esthetician it is my job to impart wisdom and education on clients and the general public. And there is one thing I cannot say enough: wear sunscreen everyday, even in the house & even during the winter. Yes, you heard me right. The sun's UVA/UVB rays are extremely dangerous and they penetrate even the most cloudy of days and they even penetrate through your home's windows. One thing I cannot stress enough is that if you have sunshine coming through your window, then you have UV radiation coming into your home too.
I know you are seriously thinking that you just need to wear sunscreen on sunny days but this is not the case. One thing about it is that you have to actually use it and reapply it. It is not a one and done shot. Even on cloudy days the sun's rays can penetrate through the clouds and cause photo damage (sun damage) to the skin and damage the skin's DNA enough to cause skin cancer. Trust me on this. I am going to be 50 in April and have had skin cancer twice already.
The CDC put together a list of 7 facts about sunscreen in 2019 that they feel are important to know and I am going to include the link here for you and summarize them: http://bit.ly/3cEejrb. The most important fact is that sunscreen has to be used correctly. That means using enough (a shot glass full for the entire body) and reapplying every two hours/often enough for it to work. They also recommend that you use it in connection with sun safe clothing and do not stay in the sun during the hours of 12-4 pm, when the sun's rays are at their strongest (especially during the summer hours). That is when the sun is highest in the sky and you can feel the sun's rays at their worst. Also, sunscreen does not have to be greasy. It can be lightweight as long as it is a SPF30 or above. Also, it is for men too, not just women. Coconut oil is not a good sunscreen and sunscreen is a non-prescription product. It is not a DIY kind of thing, do not make your own.
Furthermore, sunscreen needs to be at least a SPF30, SPF40 or SPF50 to be adequate. Yes, these are the recommended guidelines. Most products do not come in higher SPF numbers. SPF stands for sun protection factor and means the amount of time you can stay in the sun without experiencing erythema (redness) or burning. It is a myth that only people with fair and light skin need to wear sunscreen. Everyone needs to wear sunscreen, even those with brown and black skin. People of color can still experience photo damage. Have you seen someone with black or brown skin who has freckles? That is an example of photo damage. Generally someone of color doesn't have as much photo damage as someone such as myself, but they will still need to wear sunscreen to prevent it as UVA rays are the ones that age skin (UVB rays burn the skin & cause skin cancer) and tan the skin. Preventing photo damage now will prevent future aging of the skin such as hyperpigmentation when one is 40/50/60 years old. See more information at the National Foundation For Cancer Research: (http://bit.ly/2LbPveL)
It is true that 90% of aging is experienced through the sun too. Everyone is born with the same amount of melanocytes in the skin. Melanocytes make melanin, the pigment that is what forms skin pigmentation. Some people make more pigmentation than others and this is determined through genetics. Hair, skin and eye color is all dependant on the amount of melanin someone has. Personally, I am of Northern European descent and have very little melanin in my skin. I am a Fitzpatrick I on the dermatology skin scale. The scale was developed in 1975 by Thomas Fitzpatrick, MD of Harvard Medical School and classifies people according to hair, skin and eye color. There are six skin phototypes. I and II face the highest risk of skin cancer V and VI the lowest. I have blue/green eyes, naturally dark blonde hair and always burn. I did mention that I have already had skin cancer twice, basal cell carcinomas.
Now that you know you should wear sunscreen, hopefully you will wear it all the time. I have faith that you will heed my advice and if you have not been wearing it, start wearing it everyday. And make sure to wear enough. On the face alone you need enough to cover the entire face, neck, chest that is showing and ears. I hope this has been educational and if you have any questions feel free to email me or send me a Tweet.
Until Next Time~
Marie Papachatzis
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