When You Wear Sunscreen Every Day, This Is What Happens To Your Skin
You probably have at least one friend that religiously applies sunscreen, no matter what the weather is like outside. And you probably also have a friend that lathers herself up with baby oil when they go sunbathing. Most dermatologists and doctors recommend that you wear sunscreen regularly, especially when you're outside and even when you're inside, but is that really necessary? Surely there's some kind of happy medium, right?
Well, if you're still unsure about what your daily sunscreen routine should be, we're here to help. According to Healthline, exposure to the sun will give you that boost of serotonin that you've been craving, but what is it doing to the rest of your body, specifically your skin? There's been some speculation over the safety of sunscreen when it's used frequently, so how does that play into your life if you're a daily sunscreen user or, perhaps, if you're not?
Daily sunscreen protects your skin
Yes, you should wear sunscreen every day. But what if you're just going to drive to work or sit at home all day? Yes, even then. The glass windows in your house and car can't protect you from all of the ultraviolet rays from the sun, so even if you don't think you need sunscreen, it's still a good idea to wear it (via Keck Medicine).
It's also important to wear sunscreen on cloudy days if you're outside. UV rays can still get through the clouds — even if you can't see the sun and even if you don't get sunburned — the damage done by UV rays accumulates on your skin over time. This means you may not see the damage right away (via Chicago Tribune).
You should especially wear sunscreen every day if you plan on being outside for part or all of the day. And if you're outside for a prolonged period of time, most dermatologists recommend that you reapply your sunscreen every two hours (via Johns Hopkins Medicine). And even if your sunscreen is labeled water-resistant, know that it's not waterproof. You should be extra vigilant about reapplying sunscreen if you're swimming or sweating. All sunscreen washes off eventually so if you want to keep your skin protected, reapply.
Is wearing sunscreen actually safe?
If you've ever looked at the back of a sunscreen bottle to check out the ingredients, it can seem a little scary. There's been some speculation on whether or not some ingredients found in sunscreens, specifically avobenzone and oxybenzone, should be allowed (via The Washington Post). The FDA is still in the process of gathering safety data to determine if the amount of sunscreen absorbed into your skin has any adverse effects, but in the meantime, they still maintain that you should continue to wear sunscreen because of all the other benefits, including reducing the risk of skin cancer.
Besides preventing skin cancer, there are a lot of other benefits to wearing sunscreen every day that will keep you looking and feeling healthy. Wearing sunscreen daily also reducing early signs of aging and wrinkles, reduces age spots, and reduces the likelihood of broken blood vessels (via Parrish Healthcare).