8 Benefits of Sunscreen: Why Wear Sunscreen?

There are many benefits of sunscreen that will help with a variety of factors. Some common sunscreen benefits are helping your skin stay young, avoiding skin cancer, not developing sunspots, and avoiding the painful burden of sunburn. 

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so protecting it is essential for your health. Without using sunscreen, you are at risk of developing a variety of issues. These are the many benefits that come from wearing sunscreen.

1. Reduces the Signs of Aging 

When you understand the importance of sunscreen on the face, you will be able to reduce the signs of aging. Going out in the sun without sunscreen can cause damage, especially to your face. 

The collagen and connective tissues of your skin can become damaged, causing your skin to form wrinkles, sun spots, dry skin, pigmentation changes, and lose its elasticity. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF will help lessen your chances of aging early.

2. Protects Your Skin from Harmful UV Rays

When you are exposed to too much sunlight, you are also being exposed to harmful UV rays. These UV rays can cause wrinkles, leathery skin, sun spots, and a variety of skin conditions like actinic keratosis and solar elastosis. It is a good idea to use sunscreen at a young age to avoid UV ray damage. 

Children as young as six months old should be regularly wearing sunscreen so they do not develop any issues at a young age. Getting an artificial tan from UV light is a common way for adults to get a tan. 

However, exposing yourself to harmful UV rays will not be best for you in the future. You should avoid using tanning beds, as they can also cause damage to your skin like inflammation and redness even though they are artificial.

3. Reduces Cancer Risk

One of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing cancer is to wear sunscreen. The CDC recommends wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15 to protect yourself from the damage the sun can cause. 

When you are outdoors all day, it is important to reapply sunscreen every two hours. Too much sun exposure can cause skin cancer, most commonly melanoma. This type of skin cancer is very aggressive, especially for younger women.

4. Limits the Appearance of Sunspots

Being exposed to UV rays from the sun can cause sunspots to appear. These are also known as liver spots or age spots. Sunspots are caused by hyperpigmentation of your skin, which are usually flat areas of your skin that will become discolored and turn brown. 

Sunspots most commonly appear on your face, arms, back of your hands, shoulders, and back. Sunspots can be treated using intense pulsed light, laser resurfacing, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, microneedling, and other skin treatments. To find the best solution to diminish sunspots, discuss these options with your dermatologist or skincare professional. 

5. Improves Overall Skin Quality

Using sunscreen will improve the overall quality of your skin. When you use sunscreen, the proteins in your skin like keratin, collagen, and elastin will be protected. When these proteins are protected, it will leave your skin feeling smooth and healthy. 

To be sure your skin stays healthy, look for a sunscreen containing titanium dioxide to reflect the sun’s UV rays away from your skin. To maintain the good quality of your skin, there are a few other actions you can take in addition to wearing sunscreen.

• Stay out of the sun during the afternoon when the UV index is very high
• Wear hats to protect your head and face from the sun
• Wear shirts that cover your chest and arms
• Find shady spots during your outdoor activities
• Wear sunglasses that filter UV light to protect eyes and skin around the eyes

6. Prevents Sunburn

Being sunburnt is one of the worst feelings. If you have a bad sunburn, you will probably experience peeling skin, hives, itching, redness, or swelling. If it is severe, your skin can blister, increasing your risk of developing skin cancer. 

Severe sunburns typically will feel warm or hot to the touch, be painful, and swollen. Your skin could even develop small blisters filled with fluid. If you have a headache, fever, feel fatigued, or nauseous, see a medical professional right away. Wearing sunscreen will help you avoid getting a sunburn and having to deal with the painful symptoms. 

7. Sets an Example for Others Around You

When you wear sunscreen, there is a good chance that you are influencing others to do the same. Many people feel they don’t need sunscreen because they will not get burned. 

Even if they do not get burned, there is still a risk of developing a skin condition or skin cancer. Discussing the benefits of wearing sunscreen and Setting a good example for your family and friends might help prevent others from developing these issues.

8. Prevents Broken Blood Vessels 

Too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays can damage the blood vessel walls in your skin, causing them to become thin. This condition is called telangiectasias. When your blood vessels become too thin, it will appear that you are bruised or bleeding. 

These thin blood vessels have the potential to bleed but usually aren’t harmful to your health. To help clear up the thinned blood vessels, you can undergo laser therapy, sclerotherapy, or excision surgery to remove the problem. 

Laser therapy is minimally invasive and is usually the preferred method of clearing up telangiectasias. Wearing sunscreen every day results in reducing your chances of developing broken blood vessels.

Final Thoughts

The benefits of sunscreen are apparent when looking out for your health. Find your new skincare routine today!