Now that everyone has to stay indoors as mandated by the law, do you need to apply sunscreen, or should your tubes be left unmoved on their shelves?
Experts say that sunscreen is also needed indoors because even though you have a roof over your head 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ultraviolet rays from the sun could pass through the glass windows. Thus, it will have a similar effect on you like when you are outdoors.
A board-certified dermatologist in Westport, Conn., Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, said that while UVB rays do not pass through the window glass, UVA can. She also noted that the UVA could cause damage to the DNA of skin cells by producing mutations that lead to skin cancer.
Other than the damaging effects of UVA penetrating through windows, most devices with screens emit HEV light, which is known as blue light. This fact is according to a board-certified dermatologic surgeon in New York and Beverly Hills, Calif., Sameer Bashey, MD, FAAD. It means that televisions, cell phones, and computers could all cause hyperpigmentation and melasma to our skins.
Read also: 6 Surefire Ways to Handle Screen Addiction
UVA vs. UVB
UVA or the aging rays are the rays of the sun that causes premature aging to your skin. Apart from that, they also cause wrinkling and age spots. UVB rays or the burning rays are what cause sunburns.
What SPF means
SPF, or the Sun Protection Factor, is the number that represents the amount of time that the sun's ultraviolet radiation need to redden your skin. This means that a product or a sunscreen with an SPF 30 would give your skin 30 minutes of protection from the damaging effects of the UV rays from the sun.
According to skincancer.org, three percent of the UVB rays would hit your skin if you apply a sunscreen with an SPF 30, and only two percent when you use SPF 50. Even though they may have little difference, what you want is still the sunscreen that could provide you a better protection from the UV rays.
Other than the SPF, you also need to consider using water-resistant sunscreen and do take note that they are more effective only after three years of opening the tube or bottle. That means that expired sunscreens should be thrown out.
How often should you apply sunscreen?
Apply enough sunscreen to cover all the body parts that will not be covered by your clothes. Usually, an adult needs at least one ounce of sunscreen, equivalent to a shot glass, to cover the whole body with a sufficient amount.
Remember to apply them on the back of your ears, neck, nape, scalp, and the tops of your feet. Also, apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before heading out to the sun to maximize its protective effect.
Do not forget your lips because they too get sunburns. Apply a lipstick or lip balm with SPF of 30 or higher to protect your puckers. Reapply sunscreen at least approximately every two hours or every after sweating or swimming.
