For anyone who’s ever wondered why you should wear sunscreen, the answers to this question are straightforward and beneficial to your health.
Reasons Why You Should Wear Sunscreen
There is a huge variety of sunscreen options available today. Even people who don’t wear sunscreen every day on exposed body parts usually invest in a bottle or more during summer, when outdoor activities call.
There are a number of smart reasons to wear sunscreen daily. These include:
- Avoiding sunburn: Besides being painful, sunburns are associated with an increased risk for melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Anyone who has ever suffered a severe sunburn knows how debilitating it can be, but the temporary physical effects you see and feel may have consequences far into the future that aren’t apparent at the time. Children are especially at higher risk for sunburns, and protecting their delicate skin now will cut down on their risk of skin cancer later in life; multiple blistering sunburns during childhood increases the cancer risk as a person ages.
- Cuts down on skin cancer risk: With more awareness about skin cancer and skin cancer risks, the sunscreen industry has seen a boom. The earlier and more often people are protected from the harmful rays of the sun, the more they cut down on their risks of getting this disease, which range from mild to life-threatening. It’s worth investing in sunscreen and the small amount of time it takes to apply to avoid serious cancer down the road. Parents and caregivers, of course, will have to be diligent in applying sunscreen to children, and there are plenty of formulas made just for young and sensitive skin.
- Keep skin wrinkle-free: Besides the health benefits of slathering on sunscreen every day, there’s also a vanity reason, for those who want to maintain their youthful looks. Some of the damaging physical effects of too much sun include premature aging, or wrinkles, and age spots. If the skin cancer facts don’t sway you, perhaps the idea that you can delay wrinkles will. You can easily wear a general sunscreen all over the body, while using a product made specifically for the face on that area. In addition, many cosmetic companies manufacture makeup with built-in sunscreen, so you can enjoy the convenience of multitasking products that will also protect you.
- Prescription worries: Certain medications make the skin ultra sensitive to the sun’s rays, making a sunburn or allergic reaction a more likely possibility, even if you don’t spend a lot of time outdoors. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist when taking medications. Some over-the-counter medications also increase your sun sensitivity, such as those containing ingredients to fight serious acne. It’s important to wear a sunscreen if you know you’ll be outside while taking photo-toxic or photo-allergic drugs, but to be on the safest side, stay indoors as much as possible.
Sunscreen Is for Everyone
Although some people, due to genetics and their physical makeup, are more at risk for developing skin cancer, anyone of any ethnicity can get the disease. Some people with darker complexions mistakenly believe that the additional melanin in their skin protects them from skin cancer, but this is not true. Everyone should be aware of why you should wear sunscreen, whether they’re fair-skinned or not.
Smart Sunscreen Use
Young or old, dark or fair, sunscreen benefits everyone. The next time your child complains about having to endure being covered head-to-toe in sunscreen before you head to the beach or pool, you can explain why sunscreen is necessary. Besides the physical affects you may see now or sometime in the future, the serious health risks that may arise from never using sunscreen should be enough to convince anyone.
