Just like summer days, your skin needs sun protection in winter. The colder season doesn’t mean shying away from the sun protector. In fact, that’s when you need it the most because winter winds and sun-rays are harsh on the skin, leaving it dry and damaged.
These are the 5 reasons why you need to wear sun protection in winter:
UVA levels stay the same throughout the year
While winter cloud cover might soak up most of the “burning” UVB rays from the sun, studies have shown that “ageing” UVA rays pass right through clouds. In fact, the same amount of UVA is recorded on the planet surface in winter as it is in summer. UVA is particularly damaging because it suppresses your body’s immune system and causes oxidative DNA damage, which is associated with ageing and even illness.
Infrared and visible light does exist
There’s more to sunlight than just UVA and UVB. Most broad-spectrum sunscreens only offer protection of UVA and UVB, which is why they’re only effective 53% of the time. But additional wavelengths of sunlight, infrared and visible light, ramp up the free radical count in your body, promoting oxidative stress, indirect DNA damage and sometimes hyperpigmentation.
Damaging UV can pass through the glass and windows
Don’t for a second think that because you’re indoors, therefore, you’re safe from UV. UVA, infrared and visible light can all pass straight through the glass. So you’re at risk of UV damage even through closed windows.
Wind and lower temperatures can cause your skin to be damaged by UV
Icy winds and the fluctuating temperatures dry out the skin and can cause sensitivity and often lead to skin barrier damage, making your skin more susceptible to UV damage. In fact, it’s just as important to keep reapplying your sun protection throughout the day in winter as it is in summer.
Wearing sun protection all year protects your skin from ageing
According to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, 903 people under the age of 55 over a period of four and a half years were using sunscreen every day, others whenever they liked and some almost never at all. The study found that those who used sunscreen every day, winter and summer, showed improvements in skin ageing.