Just because it’s not summer doesn’t mean you’re safe from sun-related skin damage.
“The highest level of concern is usually during the summer months, but sun damage can occur year-round, even on cloudy or rainy days,” said dermatologist Dr. Sarah Taylor, an assistant professor at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“In fact, many people don’t realize that you also get sun exposure through windows at the office, at home or in cars,” she said in a hospital news release.
That’s why “dermatologists recommend that everyone wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, all year,” Taylor said.
To best protect your skin from the sun, she suggests:
- Using broad-spectrum, physical blocker sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium oxide. They should have a sunscreen protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher.
- Using liquid or powder sunscreen, not sprays.
- You should overapply sunscreen to all areas of exposed skin. This includes the sides of your face, ears, front and back of your neck, hands and arms.
Credit: healthday.com