Wearing sunscreen should be a daily thing that everyone should do, but do you know the specific reasons why? Skin works to protect us from harmful UV radiation, which is a reason that everyone should always be wearing sunscreen.
No matter the weather, sunny skies, or cloudy days skin is receptive to the sun’s rays which can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles over time. You may think that the damaging effects of a sunburn go away once the redness of the skin goes away, but that is not the case.
Sun damage can cause skin cancer such as Melanoma, which can develop in the cells and, can develop anywhere in the body. Your back, legs, arms, and face are the most common places that Melanoma can develop.
Besides wearing sunscreen every day there are some other ways that you can prevent your risk of skin cancer and your again appearance after any amount of skin damage.
Melanoma is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in 15 to 19-year-olds. Skin cancer also affects adults between the ages of 25 and 29. Children can also suffer from skin cancer from as young as the age of 2 years old. Around 90 out of every 100 people (90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed.
- You can wear protective clothing along with your sunscreen, some affordable sunscreens that are recommended by dermatologists are Banana Boat Light as Air Sunscreen ($12 at Target/amazon), and Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen Sensitive SPF 30+ ($15 on Amazon and $29 at Walmart). You can cover your face, arms, and legs in SPF as best as you can. You can also wear a hat and sunglasses.
- On top of wearing a protective SPF, try to avoid the sun during the middle of the day. The rays of the sun are at their worst between 10 am and 4 pm.
- Avoid tanning beds, no matter how badly you may want a nice tan halfway through the winter, Tanning beds increase your risk of skin cancer.
- Become familiar with your skin so that you can notice even the smallest changes, you should frequently examine your skin often enough to see your skin growths such as moles, freckles, birthmarks, and bumps.
Wearing sunscreen year-round is one of the most important things that someone can do. Protecting yourself from harmful UV radiation should always be a priority. Choosing a good sunscreen can be very overwhelming with the different options that may be available to you, keep in mind that an SPF of 30 or higher will ensure your skin’s safety, even on cloudy days.
When interviewing 9th-grade student, Liam Kenny he said “…sunscreen is a very important factor that I think everyone should account for in their regular routine.” Being aware of your skin and the amount of times that you put on sunscreen to protect yourself.
If you are ever questioning the health or damage of your skin, you should reach out to a dermatologist but don’t be scared to enjoy the outdoors and sunlight, just make sure you’re doing it safely!!
