Is Sunscreen Enough to Protect Your Skin in the Summer? Probably Not.

Summer may be fun for us, but not so much for our skin. Which is why it’s so important to keep it safe with the right products. But is sunscreen enough to protect your skin during summer?

New research finds that even if you put sunscreen on your body before soaking up the sun all day long, your skin can still get way more damage than you’d think.

Why you shouldn’t rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin this summer

To protect your skin from the sun and other potentially dangerous agents is a serious matter. With thousands of new cases of melanoma diagnosed every year, the right protection could be a lifesaver.

Of course, we’ve all been told how important it is to apply sunscreen before sun exposure. And it is true: regular sunscreen use reduces our exposure to UV rays that cause sunburn and skin damage. However, to rely only on it is not enough.

According to some studies, people who use sunscreen alone are more likely to get sunburned than people who don’t. And the reason is that they wrongly feel safe spending more time under the sun than others.

Because they think that sunscreen is enough to protect their skin, they do not seek any other measure of prevention. They lay on the beach, play sports, hike and stay outside for hours, feeling invincible. Unfortunately, they are wrong.

As a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group David Andrews, PhD, told INSIDER “The sunscreen reduces the UV exposure, but if you end up spending much more time in the sun, you may actually be getting more UV light, in which case you may not necessarily be doing better off.”

How to correctly use sunscreen and what else you must do to protect your skin

So, if sunscreen isn’t enough to protect your skin in the summer, what else can you do? According to David Andrews, on top of using SPF 30 or higher sunscreen, you should seek out shade and cover your body with sun-protective clothing when exposed to UV rays for long or when the sun is at its strongest.

It is also very important to never let your guard down. Whether you are under a beach umbrella or you are wearing a SPF of 100, don’t get cocky. These measures can give you a false sense of protection, but you must remember that they are not 100% safe and they are not everlasting. The best practice is to combine as many safety measures as possible, and of course to avoid the sun during critical hours (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m).

Furthermore, you have to understand that sun protection does not start and end when in direct contact with UV rays. You should always take care of your skin in order to make it more nourished, moisturized and resistant. Use delicate skin care products, apply after-sun lotion and wash your skin with an Aloe Vera natural soap, which has restorative qualities and helps treating sunburns and other conditions.

Finally, always remember that the best sun protection for your skin is knowledge.

Are you interested in skin care advices? Keep following this blog to get all the information you need!