Most people understand the importance of wearing sunscreen during the hot summer months, but did you know that you should actually be wearing sunscreen all year long? Wearing sunscreen can feel like an inconvenience, but it’s something that’s necessary to protect your skin. It might seem like it’s overdoing it to wear sunscreen during the colder times of the year like winter, but the sun can damage your skin even in cold temperatures.
Nobody wants to get skin cancer which is the main reason why it’s so important to wear sunscreen. Even short exposures to the sun on a cloudy or cool day add up and can damage your skin. Most people apply sunscreen if they’ll be at the beach or pool, but they forget about how much sun they get when they’re driving in their cars or walking down the street. Studies show that short and intense exposure to the sun increases your risk of melanoma, so you should always protect yourself by wearing sunscreen.
Clouds can partially block the sun’s rays, but some of them still make it through. The temperature outside doesn’t matter because the sun shines just as bright on a cold day as it does during summer. You might think you’re being protected by your car’s windows, but the sun’s UVA rays can penetrate them quite easily. For this reason, you should use a sunscreen that protects from both UVA and UVB rays (often labeled “broad spectrum”).
It’s critical to teach your children the importance of wearing sunscreen year-round, and it’s never too late to start protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. If your skin has already been damaged by the sun, contact Skin Care Specialists, P.C. & Aesthetic Center today. We provide a comprehensive skin cancer screening and perform a variety of procedures that can improve the appearance of your skin.
