The sun is nowhere out, it’s snowing, and most of the time you are indoors. So the question is “Can you skip sunscreen during wintertime?”
You better not gals and gents. Just when you think your skin is safe while spending the whole day skiing or snowboarding, there is no excuse not to wear sunscreen. Sun reflects in the snow and while it’s less likely to have sunburn at this time of the year, you still need to be aware of possible skin cancer and photoaging a.k.a. wrinkles!
UVA and UVB briefly explained. UVA or ultra-violet A rays penetrate the skin deeper and is responsible for skin cancer and skin wrinkling. UVB is the main culprit to sunburn. What is interesting to know is that UVB rays bounce back up to 80 percent at higher altitude and in snow or ice, hitting your skin twice! that’s a real OMG!
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends to use sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB and has SPF 30 or more. Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going out. And please don’t forget your lips- apply lip balm that has SPF 30 or higher. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
xoxo
