The Why and How of applying sunscreen, as well as the types of sunscreens to use
The sunscreen is definitely staying on, no matter what the season is. Sunscreens are used to protect us from the sun’s light and are expected to be an instrumental part of your skin care, in hot or in cold weather, as long as there is sunlight around. UV penetrates through clouds too and through haze as well, so sunscreens are the default skin care for all weather.
You can, however, tune up your sunscreen routine for winter with some easy tips.
1. As the humidity levels drop, it is time to start using a moisturizer just before you get sunscreen up. You need to choose a very light moisturizer if you have acne-prone skin.
2. Chemical sunscreens need to be applied at least 20 minutes before stepping outside. Physical sunscreens are effective on application.
3. If you are someone who spends most of their time indoors, but still is exposed to a lot of ambient light, you might still need to use sunscreen, especially if you have skin pigmentation issues like melasma.
4. Use the right amount of sunscreen, the biggest problem is often the amount of sunscreen that people use.
5. If you are uncertain about the amount of sunscreen, use the double application rule. Simply use two coats of sunscreen instead of one. Your sun protection lasts longer this way.
6. Some sunscreens need to be specifically cleansed off, especially if they contain silicones. Make sure to double cleanse if needed.
7. Instead of opting for sunscreen on all exposed body areas, use clothing to protect areas like the hands. Simply throw on a denim jacket when you head out, and you will already have added a protection factor of over 1000. Except for clothes it is measured as UV protection factor and not SPF but is just as protective.
What else can you do?
Include a substantial amount of skin-protecting vegetables in your diet like carrots, spinach and blueberries to boost your UV protection from within.
Check your sunscreen for problem filters – benzophenone, octinoxate, octocrylene and parabens that known to have endocrine disrupting potential. Ideally opt for non-nano mineral sunscreens for long term safety, while chemical sunscreens are okay to use as short-term options.
Article is contributed by Dr. Renita Rajan – Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist
