It’s summer, and the weather is beautiful. You want to enjoy every moment and go out with your friends and family, but do you know what can happen if you don’t protect yourself from the sun?
You might think that enjoying a walk in the park without sunscreen does not pose any danger. However, your skin needs protection as much as your eyes. Using a protectant like the Vichy sunscreen is crucial when protecting your skin.
Here are some reasons you need to protect yourself from the sun even when cloudy, windy, or rainy.
You Can Develop Skin Cancer
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are the leading cause of skin cancer. Almost all types of skin cancer are linked to sun exposure. That is why you need to use sunscreen with high SPF, stay in the shade, and wear protective clothing like sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats.
Even on a cloudy summer day, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can reach your skin and cause damage. You need to shield yourself from these rays no matter what the weather is outside. Never forget that you do not have to be in direct sunlight for your skin to get damaged.
Your Skin Will Age Prematurely
When you’re in the sunlight for a long time, it stimulates melanin production. When too much melanin is produced in your skin cells, they get damaged. It makes your skin look older at an early age, and the effects of this damage cannot be reversed. Exposure to ultraviolet rays even accelerates aging.
When you’re in the sun without adequate protection for a long time, your skin becomes red and even starts peeling. Although this looks like a sign that your body is repairing itself after getting burnt, it actually means that your cells are dying because of the damage they got from ultraviolet rays.
Your Skin Will Turn Dry
Sun damages your skin’s moisture, which makes it dry. It also causes wrinkles and fine lines that make you look older too. That is why it is important to use moisturizers with sunscreen because they protect your body against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.
Using sunscreen like Vichy sunscreen can prevent these adverse effects of sun exposure, but if your sunscreen contains ingredients that could harm your health, it is best to switch to another brand.
For example, when your sunscreen contains ingredients like oxybenzone or retinyl palmitate, you expose yourself to dangerous chemicals that will damage your skin.
Your Skin Is Exposed To Intensive UV Radiation 24 Hours A Day
Even if you don’t spend the whole day in the sun, there are high levels of ultraviolet light indoors that may not be filtered by window glass. You can also get UV radiation from fluorescent or LED lights.
UV light also works at night. When the ozone layer is depleted, ultraviolet waves penetrate day and night. Even on cloudy days, you can be exposed to up to 80% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays – though it will feel like less because of cooler air and wind.
Light-colored Skin Is Not Safe, Either
People with light skin may think they can stay in the sun longer than people with darker skin. However, it is extremely dangerous. Light-skinned people need to regularly use sunscreen and apply a high SPF (30+) even on cold days or when the weather seems cloudy.
Light-skinned people should take extra care, especially during winter when exposed to damaging ultraviolet rays for hours. Even if clouds cover the sun, your skin can get burned.
The UV Factor Does Not Decrease In Cold Weather
Some believe that the effects of the sun’s radiation are lower during winter because it’s cold outside. It is a big mistake. Sunlight can reach your skin even on cloudy days with snow or rain.
Even during the winter, sun rays can be harmful to your skin if they pass through high-altitude clouds or light fog. The UV intensity is directly related to the angle of the sun’s rays. These may be less direct but are just as strong as at noon in summer.
You Do Not Have To Be In The Open Air
UV rays come through the glass, so you can still get a sunburn while walking on the street or driving your car. Even when cloudy, the sun’s harmful rays will not pass through glass so easily. They are reflected by water particles in the clouds, which means that even if it is cloudy, ultraviolet light can find its way to your skin. You can use sunscreen like Vichy sunscreen to protect your skin from UV rays.
Sunscreen And Sun Protection Products
Use sunscreen with an SPF of a minimum of 15 and apply it all over the body. Sunscreens may have different active ingredients, but they all have one objective – to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays. You must not forget about other sun protection products such as parasols, wide-brimmed hats, and protective clothing.