Now that the festive season is almost here, most of us will be out and about to enjoy the sun.
While being out in the summer feels refreshing, one should be mindful of their skin. The sun tends to be harmful to the skin and if you don’t wear sunscreen with SPF 30, at least, you’re in trouble.
I have a friend who refused to apply sunscreen because she’s dark-skinned. I had to explain to her that sunscreen is not about complexion but protecting against harmful rays from the sun, which people with high melanin are not exempted from.
“The sun’s effect on our skin has to do with the ultraviolet (UV) rays. UVA and UVB rays are the two main types of sunlight that cause sun-related damage. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn and play a role in causing skin cancer.
“These rays have short wavelengths and, therefore, cannot penetrate deeply into the skin but still do a fair amount of damage to the outer layers. UVA rays can penetrate deeper into the skin.
“This type of ray is what we are exposed to most of the time and can result in skin cancer formation, and being responsible for reducing our skin’s natural elasticity, increasing the chances of wrinkles and pigmentation.
“When choosing a sunscreen, ensure that it protects the skin from both UVA and UVB rays,” explains Mario Correia of Everysun.
Correia identifies the top five misconceptions about sunscreen and why they should be debunked:
Sunscreen is not always necessary: You’d be shocked to learn that many people believe that sunscreen is only essential on hot days when your entire body is exposed to the sun. This is not true.
UV rays can harm your skin no matter how much it is exposed. Even on cloudy days, your skin can be affected by the sun – irrespective how much sunlight there is, your skin can still be affected by UV rays.
Hence, it is advised you to wear sunscreen all year long. Your face, lower arms and hands are constantly exposed to the sun and should always be protected with sunscreen.
People with darker skin tones do not need to use sunscreen: Although people with darker skin tones have more melanin in their skin and, therefore, do not burn as easily as those with lighter skin tones, this is because the melanin defuses UVB rays, the skin is still affected by UVA rays.
Make-up with an SPF is enough to protect me through the day: This may be true for a short time, but it is not a good replacement for sunscreen. Before applying that make-up, make sure you apply sunscreen as a barrier.
It is recommended that sunscreen should be applied to your face as the last step in your skin routine, but with make-up, it should be the first.
You can’t tan while wearing sunscreen: Sunscreen helps protect your skin against UVA and UVB rays but it is still possible to get a tan, even when applied multiple times during the day.
Single application of sunscreen is enough
A single application is not entirely enough when doing activities like swimming or if you’re a person who sweats a lot. In such cases, you'll reapply sunscreen at least every two to three hours for maximum protection.