November 1, 2021

Sunscreen & The Winters

In case you’ve ever wondered that whatever importance the application of Sunscreen has in a skincare regime is limited to the Summers, then you are wrong. Let us explain why! We will begin by answering basic questions first.

Can Sun Damage The Skin If The Sunrays Do Not Feel Strong?

The amount of people who believe that your skin is immune to UV rays is astonishing. People walk-in with tanned and wrinkled skin at our clinic all the time. If they’re asked whether they’ve had swims in the mornings or non-summer months without any sunscreen applied, their answer is almost always yes! The general sense is that you are safe if the sun feels weaker.

The fact is that yes the sunburn ray or UVB is less intense in winters but winter sun can still damage and cause skin issues like wrinkles, thinning spots, etc.

Can Sun Harm Your Skin All Throughout The Day and All year Long?

Yes! UCA and the intensity of UCA rays hardly ever changes significantly. If there is sunlight then there are UVA rays. UVA Rays are as intense in winters as they are during the rest of the year.

SPF Value & Misconceptions

The SPF value that a sunscreen carries generally doesn’t give enough information about how well that specific product blocks UVA. You have to explicitly look for “Broad Spectrum” on the sunscreen product that you are using. One of the most popular and valid criticisms of sunscreens is that many products in the market do an awful job of protecting you from UVA rays.

Is Wearing Sunscreen Every Day & All Year Long The Only Way?

Yes. In case you want to prevent premature skin aging, pigmentation, and thinning problems then you should be wearing sunscreen all day long, throughout the year. UVA intensity doesn’t change much throughout the year as already stated and it penetrates the skin more deeply than the sunburn ray or UVB which is less intense in winters.

Moreover, It is extremely hard to reverse UVA Damage so keep yearlong protection in your mind always.

Few Tips By Dr. Jaspreet For All year Long Protection

1. Cover As Much of Skin With Clothing: Fall and winter clothing provide good protection. Ideally, you’d want to wear clothes that protect your full arms and chest, which is very easy to do in the winters!
2. Wearing Hats: Hats are known to deflect an enormous amount of UV rays that can otherwise hit your skin directly. You’d still need to wear sunscreen since the rays may bounce.
3. Wearing Sunscreen: Well, this entire article is about its importance! Always apply it on all exposed skin that hasn’t been covered by clothing.
4. Adding High Concertation Antioxidant Skin Care Products to your routine: Studies have shown that applying highly concentrated antioxidants to your skin reduces UV damage. The Best of these are green tea polyphenols, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Be smart when shopping or planning your skincare routine products.

In case you’d like to book a consultation with Dr. Jaspreet then you may do so by calling us at +91- 8826141232.