3 Reasons Why Sunscreen Is Vital To The Skin:
Sun-based Skin Blemishes
Lots of people these days intentionally put fake freckles on their skin. This is because freckles are deemed to be attractive by many people. If only all other forms of sun damage are received in the same positive manner. But alas! Sunburns, melasma, age spots, actinic keratosis, and other conditions of blemishes are pretty unattractive in the eyes of others. While we may spend our time weeping and lowering our self-esteem, one might also consider doing the alternative.
Why not strengthen your appeal and build your confidence by exploring your options and doing your best to remove, lessen or prevent such incidents? Do what the blog title suggests and invest by buying sunscreen! Sunscreen provides skin protection against UV rays. UV rays damage skin cells’ DNA, raise the risk of skin cancer, and speed up the aging process by causing fine lines, deep wrinkles, and dark spots.
However, when choosing a sunscreen, one should also consider the amount of SPF available. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, a non-linear, approximate indicator of how well a sunscreen protects skin from UV damage. 1 SPF would provide about 10 minutes’ protection which means that SPF 15 would give a person approximately 150 minutes’ protection for UVB and UVA rays. Experts recommend wearing at least an SPF 15 sunscreen, with reapplication every 2 hours for maximum protection.
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Anti-inflammatory characteristics are present in sunscreen ingredients, including zinc oxide and niacinamide, which can help decrease inflammation and treat acne. Sunscreen can help diminish acne scars and minimize red or brown hyperpigmentation with consistent usage. Those still struggling with melasma or older hyperpigmentations may book melasma treatments in their nearby clinics, but even professionals would recommend the use of sunscreen afterward!
Aging
As stated previously, UV rays damage DNA in skin cells, raise the risk of skin cancer, and speed up the aging process by causing fine lines, deep wrinkles, and dark spots. Our skin gradually becomes drier, thinner, and paler as we age. Pores begin to enlarge, and our skin starts to sag. Although sun exposure is necessary for vitamin D production, exposure to damaging UV radiation causes accelerated aging. UV radiation causes collagen destruction and changes in the creation of new collagen and changes in the elastin fibers. The skin loses its flexibility and strength when both collagen and elastin are lacking. Again, the usage of sunscreen prevents all these from happening.
A test was done by The Bright Side website back in 2019. The experiment brought in two women who regularly use vitamin C and retinol but aren’t regular sunscreen users. After a two-month test period, both women agreed to sunscreen, bettering their skin by providing a more hydrated, smoother, and brighter skin texture!
Skin Cancer
UV radiation from the sun or sunbeds can cause DNA damage in our skin cells. Too much UV exposure can cause uncontrollable cell expansion, which has a high chance of leading to skin cancer. Skin cancer may affect everyone, although certain people are at a higher risk, such as those who burn easily. The more sunburns you get, the higher your chances of getting skin cancer are. A single sunburn every two years can treble your stake of melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma skin cancer can spread through the skin’s layers and into other body regions. Thus, people who are lighter-skinned tend to be more at risk than others who have darker skin tones.
In a clinical study done by experts in Australia, 1,621 people ages 25–75 years old were asked to participate in an experiment using the application of sunscreen from head to toe alongside some placebo supplements from 1992 to 2006. Participants were followed up using questionnaires and/or pathology labs and the cancer registry to determine the incidence of primary melanoma.
The results indicated that melanoma in adults might be avoided with frequent sunscreen usage.
