In ancient mythology there are myths of origin, myths of heroes, myths of seasonal renewal, and so on. In our book, there are myths of skin. A tale as old as time, skin myths will burgeon across beauty publications, social media platforms and of course, the old fashioned way: by word of mouth. They typically come from a good place – skincare enthusiasts passing around their knowledge in an effort to help others preserve their skin as well. But sometimes, they do more harm than good.

 

Thus begins our newest series, Skin Myths. We’re here to debunk the tall tales that you might be hearing on a regular basis in hopes that you and your skin aren’t fooled by falsities. Starting off with one of the biggest (and potentially most detrimental) skin myths, let’s chat about why the notion that you don’t have to wear sunscreen if it’s not sunny out is completely wrong.

 

Sun exposure is one of the top causes of wrinkles and signs of aging, and sunscreen is here to protect you from it. It’s understandable that one might assume that sun exposure boils down to those moments when you feel sunlight directly hitting your skin. If it’s cloudy out, or we’re inside and away from direct rays, we assume that our skin is safe from harm. Au contraire. 

 

The myth that sunscreen isn’t needed if it isn’t sunny is false because even when the sun isn’t shining, per se, UV rays are still all around you and thus, penetrating your skin at any time. Yep, that includes cloudy days and time spent indoors. While it might seem like the clouds (or your windows) are protecting your skin from the sun, the truth is that they’re not. There are two types of UV rays: UVA rays and UVB rays. UVB rays are the ones that cause a visible sunburn, and can lead to skin diseases. UVA rays, on the other hand, penetrate your skin more deeply and are basically the main characters of the whole Aging story. They lead to premature signs of age such as wrinkle formation and dark spots. 

 

The good news is that windows can block out UVB rays, so if you’re inside on a sunny day, chances are you won’t end up with a scorching sunburn. The not-so-good news is that windows do not block UVA rays – in fact, there are about 500 times more UVA rays in sunlight than there are UVB. The moral of the story? Even when you think your skin doesn’t need extra protection, it does. Bottom line, sunscreen is a must-wear all the time, no matter where you are or what you’re doing.

 

For your face, you should be using a minimum of SPF 30. If you’re spending lots of time in the sun or near a window, you should be reapplying your sunscreen every few hours. It might sound overwhelming, but think of it like putting on chapstick – if your lips get dry every few hours, it’s second nature to put chapstick on right away to make them feel better. Sunscreen should be second nature as well. Your skin will thank you in the long run!