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Everything you need to know about sunscreen

Why do you need to wear sunscreen every day? How to apply it to get full protection?

Wearing sunscreen can prevent the skin from harmful environmental ultraviolet (UV) rays, which can cause skin cancer and ageing. Furthermore, UV rays can be even more harmful to people with extremely sensitive skin, such as rosacea and eczema, as their skin barriers have already broken so that the UV rays can penetrate easier and deeper on their skin. This can exacerbate symptoms such as flashes and sudden redness on the face appear. Some people with pupil rosacea can trigger acne after the flush.

Sunscreen should be applied daily as UV rays are invisible and surround our lives, even indoors and in wintertime. The reason is that they can penetrate via the window; thus, wearing sunscreen indoors to protect your skin is necessay.

Sunscreen should be applied even in the wintertime as the UV rays are invisible and surround our lives. Furthermore,  studies have shown that even though theres no visible sun, the harmful UV rays still surround us and  look out for UV index as the sun doesn’t mean there’s no UV.

Furthermore, many studies have shown that without enough sunscreen and proper suncare, such as wearing a hat and staying indoors when the UV rays are incredibly high, fully protecting your skin can cause premature skin ageing, which is the process of photoaging. The reason is that it exacerbates the reduction of collagen and elastin over time and thus result in fine line and wrinkle appearing earlier than in people in the same age group.

Moreover, wearing sunscreen has other benefits that can help reduce uneven skin tone and texture. Secondly, it helps to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Thirdly, it may help reverse mild signs of existing sun damage such as sun spots, the dark spots that appear without proper wearing sunscreen and sun care. 

Types of UV rays 

UVA: causes ageing and can penetrate via window

UVB:cause burning but won’t penetrate the window

UVC: won’t reach the surface as they are blocked outside the earth;

therefore, it is important to still wear sunscreen indoors to against UVA, especially you sit near a window and get a lot of sunshine during a day.

How to prevent sun damage?

Always check the UV index (UVI), which measures ultraviolet radiation based on The World Health Organization, and wear sunscreen daily. The higher the UVI, the more damage can be done to your skin. The WHO suggests that people limit their exposure to the sun to prevent premature ageing and skin cancer. The organisation also recommends wearing protective clothing, such as clothes that can help against UV rays, and staying in the shade if possible, espicially when the UV rays are incredibly high, at levels of 3 (Moderate) or higher.

Does going out without sunscreen increase the speed of ageing,  what is photoaging?

Photoaging is a sign of ageing that gradually develops on the skin when people get older and results from cells being damaged by UV rays and lack of elastin. The damage done to the skin causes the levels of collagen, a substance in our skin that gives our skin its elasticity, to be depleted, leading to an uneven skin tone.

UVA rays cause “the changes we see when we get older. For example, people develop pigmentation, wrinkles and fine lines etc., when they get older” 

Although everyone will experience the sign of ageing, many studies had reported that people look older and have more intense ageing symptoms such as wrinkles and age spots when they don’t wear sunscreen under the sun and spend a lot of time outdoors to pursue the healthy tan when they were young.

Melanin is the pigment that gives us the tan that everyone admires, and it also functions as the skin’s defence against sunburn, which can also build up in certain areas to cause liver or age spots.

How to choose a suitable sunscreen, especially with extremely sensitive skin such as rosacea and eczema? Mineral or chemical sunscreen, which one is better?

People with extremely sensitive skin tend to get irritated easily, so your best choice would be full mineral sunscreen as the substances that are against UV rays and protect against environmental harm in the products won’t penetrate deeply into the skin. They only work on the surface level, so it reduces the possibility of sensitivity that might occur.

Remember also to choose a sunscreen with a broad spectrum”-labelled as it can protect both UVA and UVB rays, which can thus give your skin comprehensive protection.

Try to get a mineral one if possible, and also remember to choose the proven and recommended brand by dermatologists. Also, look for non-comedogenic, which means the ingredients are gentle and won’t clog your pore and cause acne, and no fragrance, the ingredients that will irritate our skin and it is harmful to both people with sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. 

Any recommendation for sunscreen for people with sensitive skin?

If you want to cover up the redness or sensitivity, you can opt for one with green-tinted, which can neutralise the colour and cover the flush when it happens. For example, the one from Herocosmetics in the USA has a green-tinted sunscreen; many people have reported no irritation or stinging. 

When you choose a suitable sunscreen that helps you protect your skin, please remember to look for the title. You can also find one in Laroshe possay and opt for the one with Anthelios labelled. This range is specifically made for sensitive skin with the gentlest ingredients, and it protects against both UVB and UVA rays, which is why it has the “broad spectrum” label.

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