Why is Sunscreen Important in Skin Care?
An average person’s Ultra Violet (UV) sun exposure happens before 18 years old and that’s why sunscreen is a must-have to protect yourself from the sun’s damaging rays. It can help prevent wrinkles, age spots, and other signs of aging caused by overexposure to UV light. But choosing sunscreen isn’t easy because there are so many options.
There are two kinds of sun blockers: chemical and physical. Chemical sun creams are absorbed into your skin and block UV light from reaching your DNA, preventing damage to your cells’ genetic material from UV exposure.
Physical skin protection lotions sit on top of your skin and reflect away UV radiation before it reaches your DNA, often referred to as “sunblocks.”
Even if you’re already using sunscreen regularly, it’s important to remember that everyone’s needs are different. You may need a water-resistant formula or one with extra protection against UVA rays to protect your skin from cancerous damage.
If you have sensitive skin, look for products labeled “hypoallergenic” and those made with non-irritating ingredients like green tea extract or aloe vera gel.
There are many reasons why sunscreen is essential in skincare and are as follows:
1. Helps to Absorb Vitamin D
Did you know that sunscreen helps you absorb vitamin D? Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but too much sun exposure without proper protection can lead to skin cancer.
Suppose you spend too much time indoors or cover yourself with sunscreen. In that case, you’re not getting enough vitamin D. What can help is healthy sunshine (not UV rays) and good-quality nutrition from foods like fatty fish and fortified cereals.
2. Helps Maintain Even Skin Tone
Another benefit of sunscreen is that it helps to maintain even skin tone. The sun damages the skin in many ways, including uneven skin tone which can lead other problems, like dark spots, wrinkles, dead skin cells, blotchiness, dry patches, and age spots.
Applying sun cream will protect your epidermis from sunburn, which can be uncomfortable and painful. Note that suntan can increase your risk of developing skin cancer, so it’s essential to take steps now to prevent them.
3. Aids Treat Acne
When it comes to helping with acne, sunscreen helps to absorb any free radicals that might be causing problems in your pores. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that have an unpaired electron. They can damage the DNA in your skin, causing wrinkles and fine lines.
Suppose these damaged cells are not repaired quickly enough by antioxidants (such as vitamins C and E). In that case, they may grow into tumors or become damaged beyond repair resulting in inflammation and redness on the skin’s surface.
Sunscreen will help reduce the amount of oil on your face to prevent acne breakouts and clogged pores. Ensure you avoid those with alcohol or drying agents to prevent further aggravation of existing blemishes.
4. Reduces Appearance of Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Using sunscreen helps prevent damage to your skin caused by UV light that can lead to premature aging. Premature aging occurs when the skin shows signs of aging before its time due to too much sun exposure. This can include fine lines, wrinkles, freckles, age and liver spots, uneven pigmentation, and more. Over time, these signs become more visible as the sun’s damage continues to build up on a cellular level.
The best way to protect your skin from sun damage is by wearing sunscreen daily with an SPF of 30 or higher, which blocks UVA and UVB rays.
5. Prevents Cancer
Sunblock also helps prevent skin cancer by blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching deep into your skin which is essential for those with fair complexions, blue eyes, freckles, who are at higher risk of developing melanoma.
It is important to understand the difference between UVA and UVB rays:
- UVB rays are responsible for skin cancer. These are the rays that cause sunburns and, over time, can lead to skin cancer like melanoma and basal cell carcinoma.
- UVA rays cause premature aging, including wrinkles and age spots. They also damage collagen and elastin, which leads to sagging skin.
Sunscreen can help protect you from both types of UV radiation by absorbing or reflecting it away from your body before it reaches your skin cells.
Additional Tip
Sunscreen is an essential skincare product for everyone. It can help to prevent sunburn, wrinkles, and skin cancer. However, it’s also important to remember that not all sunscreens are created equal. So here are a few tips on how to choose the right one:
- Make sure you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against Ultraviolet A(UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVA rays cause premature aging, wrinkles and brown spots, while UVB rays cause sunburns but not wrinkles or brown spots.
Conclusion
As we have seen, sunscreen is an essential skincare product for everyone. It is the best way to protect our skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, which can cause aging, cancer, and other problems. Using suncream protects us from sunburns and keeps our skin healthy and young-looking. The next time you are outside for a long time or going on vacation, remember to apply sunblock liberally on your face and body so that you don’t look like a lobster when you return home.