Why you should be wearing sunscreen this summer
By Puja Parikh
May 11, 2022
Image Credit: Arthur Pereira for Unsplash
Summer is a few weeks away which means more time in the sun. With more time in the sun, it is important to take care of your skin now and for the long run. Wearing sunscreen can prevent damage to the skin and protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
When spending more time in the sun, people may be looking for the best type of sunscreen to use in order to reduce the risk of sun overexposure. The first step is to make sure the sunscreen used is mineral versus chemical. Mineral sunscreen provides a barrier to protect your skin from the sun. A chemical sunscreen will absorb the ingredients into the skin and the UV rays break down and release into the body.
A reminder when using sunscreen according to Lauren Ploch, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, states that if a sunscreen has expired, it is less effective. Even if the sunscreen is a year old, it is only valid “if the product is stored in a cool, dry place.” Ploch recommends an SPF of 30 or higher. But for a water-resistant option, Henry W. Lim, M.D., immediate past president of American Academy of Dermatology, says to use sunscreen with a SPF of 50 or higher.
Important ingredients to look for in a sunscreen include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide - the majority of the time, mineral sunscreens include these in their mixture.
Freshman psychology major Venus Latifian thinks “it is good to wear sunscreen as it prevents skin diseases - skin cancer, sunburn, and wrinkles.”
Similarly, Aadam Rahman, a freshman civil engineering major, says it is “very important in the long run to use sunscreen.”
There are so many sunscreens sold in the stores, it is hard to find which one to use. Dermatologists have compiled a list of sunscreens which will best be protective against the UV rays.
Latifian notes that there is “a way to tan and keep skin safe.” It is necessary to use sunscreen when out in the sun. She, herself, uses the Sun Bum sunscreen.
Sunscreen is vital to use in order to guard the skin from the UV rays. Use sunscreen to protect from aging skin and get a healthy glow.
When spending more time in the sun, people may be looking for the best type of sunscreen to use in order to reduce the risk of sun overexposure. The first step is to make sure the sunscreen used is mineral versus chemical. Mineral sunscreen provides a barrier to protect your skin from the sun. A chemical sunscreen will absorb the ingredients into the skin and the UV rays break down and release into the body.
A reminder when using sunscreen according to Lauren Ploch, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, states that if a sunscreen has expired, it is less effective. Even if the sunscreen is a year old, it is only valid “if the product is stored in a cool, dry place.” Ploch recommends an SPF of 30 or higher. But for a water-resistant option, Henry W. Lim, M.D., immediate past president of American Academy of Dermatology, says to use sunscreen with a SPF of 50 or higher.
Important ingredients to look for in a sunscreen include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide - the majority of the time, mineral sunscreens include these in their mixture.
Freshman psychology major Venus Latifian thinks “it is good to wear sunscreen as it prevents skin diseases - skin cancer, sunburn, and wrinkles.”
Similarly, Aadam Rahman, a freshman civil engineering major, says it is “very important in the long run to use sunscreen.”
There are so many sunscreens sold in the stores, it is hard to find which one to use. Dermatologists have compiled a list of sunscreens which will best be protective against the UV rays.
- Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen
- SPF 30+
- SPF 30+
- EltaMD UV Elements
- SPF 44
- SPF 44
Latifian notes that there is “a way to tan and keep skin safe.” It is necessary to use sunscreen when out in the sun. She, herself, uses the Sun Bum sunscreen.
Sunscreen is vital to use in order to guard the skin from the UV rays. Use sunscreen to protect from aging skin and get a healthy glow.