Why Should I Use Sunscreen?

With the sun Down Under as harsh as ever, it should (hopefully!) go without saying that no Aussie should ever leave home without wearing a good sunscreen every day.

Not convinced? Here’s why you should use sunscreen.

Sunscreen For Better Looking Skin

The risk of skin cancer aside, there are more than a few good cosmetic reasons why skipping sunscreen is a bad idea.

• Don’t fancy brown spots and skin discolorations? Wearing sunscreen can prevent these.
• Red veins and blotchiness? Again, sunscreen is a must to help prevent these too.
• Wrinkled skin that looks old beyond its years? Easily prevented with a good sunscreen.

Still wondering when you need to bother with sunscreen?

Times To Be Extra Careful

We all know about wearing sun cream on the beach, but what about during the week when many of us are inside at work all day?

Not a time to think about skipping SPF, the experts say.

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Working Inside

Even your five minute walk to the train or out to grab lunch can pose health risks if you aren’t UV protected. Workers who sit near a window have an even greater chance of absorbing harmful UVA and UVB rays, as they can penetrate glass.

A 2010 scientific study on office sun exposure found that the participants developed more wrinkles, discoloration, and skin roughness on the side of their face than those who were overexposed to the sun long-term.

Rainy Days

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that because it is cloudy / overcast / raining that you can skip the SPF. The sun’s UV rays penetrate through cloud cover and you are therefore just as susceptible to sun damage on days like these.

When Taking Medicine

In addition, be extra careful to apply sun cream when taking certain types of medications. In particular, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and acne medications can increase your susceptibility to sun damage.

Oral medications like Doxycycline and Minocycline can cause skin problems when exposed to direct and prolonged UV. Isotretinoin (popularly called Roaccutane) can also make your skin burn easily. Topical acne products like tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide, AHAs and BHAs may also increase your risk of sun damage and irritation.

What Sunscreen Should I Be Wearing?

The higher the SPF factor the better, but as a bare minimum you should at least be sporting an SPF24+.

Tempted to skip the sunscreen because your BB cream or Foundation already contains it? The bad news is that the SPF in makeupproducts is probably not going to offer you enough protection. Instead, opt for a proper sunscreen underneath your makeup.

Are you wearing SPF every day?

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