The Importance of Wearing Sunscreen
The single most important addition to your skincare routine.
Anyone that has been in my treatment chair will know that I always ask about your skin routine. Getting aesthetic treatments is only one piece of the puzzle. The results you can achieve with these treatments will always be limited by the quality and appearance of your skin.
In this blog post, I will discuss why wearing SPF is so important, and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine.
First and foremost, it is essential to understand the role of the sun in causing damage to our skin. The sun emits harmful UV rays, which can penetrate our skin and cause DNA damage. This damage can lead to premature aging with the accelerated breakdown of collagen, the formation of wrinkles, and, in some cases, skin cancer. SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, works by creating a barrier on the skin that reflects or absorbs these harmful rays, preventing them from causing damage.
It's worth noting that it's not just direct exposure to the sun that can cause damage to our skin. Even on cloudy or overcast days, harmful UV rays can still penetrate the skin. UV rays can also penetrate through windows, including car windows. So even if you spend most of your day indoors, you should still be wearing sunscreen.
When it comes to choosing an SPF, in Australia it is recommended to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, ideally 50. This means that the sunscreen will block approximately 97-98% of UVB rays. Higher SPFs offer slightly more protection, but it's important to remember that no sunscreen can provide 100% protection.
So, how can you incorporate SPF into your daily routine? The easiest way is to use a moisturizer with SPF in the morning. This way, you're hydrating your skin while also protecting it from the sun. While many makeup products also contain SPF, it is important to note that this is usually only SPF15 which is insufficient coverage.
A common complaint I hear is that people don’t like the feel of sunscreen on their skin. Wearing a body sunscreen on your face isn’t recommended as it likely isn’t non-comedogenic (meaning it will clog up your pores!). Luckily there are a plethora of options available now that are made specifically for your face. You also don’t need to spend a fortune to make sure it works. I always encourage my patients to keep trying different brands until they find one that they like, which will make it easier to stick with.
Wearing SPF is crucial for protecting your skin. Incorporating sunscreen into your daily routine doesn't have to be complicated, but you do have to make it a habit. Rain, hail or shine, if you do nothing else for your skin, wear your sunscreen EVERY day. Your skin will thank you for it!