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BEAUTY

Why You Need Sunscreen

The importance of having sunscreen in your skin care routine

BY Beryl Karimi

May 11, 2023, 10:05 AM

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Sunscreen is one of the most important tools we have to protect us from the damaging effects of the sun. I know we believe that since we have been blessed with beautiful melanated skin we do not need to use sunscreen.

That our skin is protected enough. Well, let me be the one to tell you that you do require sunscreen in your skincare routine. It is the key to maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin. 

Here we are going to explore the many benefits of sunscreen, and why it should be a staple in your daily skincare routine.

Protection From Harmful UV Rays From The Sun.

Sunscreen protects our skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. UV rays are a type of radiation that can damage the skin at the cellular level, leading to wrinkles, premature ageing, or even skin cancer.

Without proper protection, UV rays can cause quite a lot of damage to the skin, ranging from dryness, sunburns and to more serious issues like skin cancer depending on the type of UV rays.

There are two types: Ultraviolet A, which are responsible for skin ageing, and Ultraviolet B which is responsible for skin burning. The damage happens over a long period. 

You might not be seeing any issues at the moment but they keep building up and then eventually, the damages are beyond repair. 

Prevent Hyperpigmentation Of Skin.

Sunscreen can also help with preventing dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and other forms of discolouration that can be caused by sun damage to the skin. 

Discolouration and hyperpigmentation happen because UV rays can cause an overproduction of melanin, the pigment that gives our beautiful skin its beautiful dark colour. 

Due to this overproduction, the areas affected by the UV rays appear darker than the rest of our body and this might make quite several people uncomfortable, even though it is completely normal to go through this. 

By using sunscreen regularly, we can help to prevent this overproduction and maintain a bright and radiant complexion.

Prevent Premature Aging.

Sun damage is one of the leading causes of premature ageing, as It breaks down collagen and elastin fibres in the skin, which gives us our youthful-looking skin, leading to wrinkles, fine lines, and skin sagging. 

By protecting our skin from UV rays we can preserve the collagen and elastin fibers by preventing the breakdown by the sun's rays. However it is completely normal for normal skin to go through ageing as we grow older, Sunscreen does not stop the ageing process it just slows it down. 

Prevents Skin Cancer.

As said earlier, one of the causes of skin cancer is long-term exposure to harmful UV rays. It damages the skin at a cellular level by damaging the DNA in cells which in turn may lead to cancer. 

Skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer, 90 per cent of those affected their skin cancer has been due to long-term exposure to UV rays, sunscreen is an essential tool in the fight against skin cancer. 

By using it regularly, we can significantly reduce the risk and ensure our skin stays healthy and protected.
 
Sunscreen should therefore an essential part of your skincare routine. An amount of two fingers is recommended on the face and apply as much as you want on exposed parts of your body. It is important to look for one that is broad-spectrum, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Additionally, it is recommended to use sunscreen with a Sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and to reapply every two hours when outdoors. By incorporating sunscreen into your daily skincare routine, you can help to ensure that your skin stays healthy, youthful, and radiant for years to come.

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