Three Reasons Why Sunscreen Should be Part of Your Daily Routine

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In the heat of summer, when people are spending time gardening, hanging out at the pool or enjoying the beach, it’s easier to remember to apply sunscreen. No one wants their summer fun ruined by a painful sunburn! But preventing sunburn isn’t the only reason to reach for the sunscreen, nor is summer the only time of year when your skin needs protecting against ultraviolet (UV) light.

Daily self-care routines often mention drinking plenty of water, getting in some exercise or movement and eating a variety of fruits and vegetables. Less talked about is the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, even on cloudy days, in the winter and on days when you don’t leave the house much. Here are a few reasons why sunscreen should be part of your daily health to-do list.

It May Help Prevent Skin Cancer

When it comes to health concerns, skin cancer unfortunately is at the top of the list. More Americans get diagnosed with skin cancer each year than all other skin cancers combined.It is estimated that nearly one in five people will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

Skin cancer is generally most common in older adults. Here’s a look at the rate of new melanoma cases by age group, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

· Nearly 51% for people 60 to 64

· 68% for people 65 to 69

· Nearly 85% for people 70 to 74

· Nearly 98% of new cases happen in people 75 to 79

Despite the high rates of skin cancer in the U.S., using sunscreen daily still may not be something most of us remember to do. A survey from the CDC found that in 2015, almost 18% of older adults reported that they did not use sun protection on a regular basis.

However, there’s good reason to adopt a sunscreen habit. One study found that regularly applying sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher may reduce the risk of developing squamous-cell carcinoma by about 40 percent.You generally should make sure to have sunscreen available whenever you plan to be outside for more than an hour, even when it’s not summertime.

You Can Still Get Enough Vitamin D

Sunshine and vitamin D. They just go together. We need vitamin D for bone health and to help support our immune system, among other important functions, and our bodies produce it naturally from the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

If we need vitamin D to help support overall health, and we produce it when we spend time in the sun, doesn’t that mean that sunscreen is preventing us from getting something our bodies need? Not necessarily. In fact, in a post for the Skin Cancer Foundation blog, Anne Marie McNeill, MD, PhD, a dermatologist and member of the Skin Cancer Foundation, shared that clinical studies have not found daily sunscreen use to cause vitamin D deficiency. You can likely still get the vitamin D you need while staying better protected from too much sun exposure.

If you have your vitamin D levels tested and your doctor says they are low, you can boost it by consuming:

· Fatty fish, such as salmon or tuna

· Egg yolks

· Milk

· Cod liver oil

· Vitamin D supplements

UV Rays are Always Present

Ultraviolet (UV) light, which we get from the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps, is actually a type of radiation, and exposure to too much of that radiation is what can cause most skin cancers.UV rays are always present, even on cloudy days when you likely aren’t thinking about the risk of sunburn. They also reflect off of surfaces like water, snow and sand, which means you might be getting more exposure to UV rays than you realize.

Wearing sunscreen daily that protects against UVA and UVB light and has at least an SPF of 15 may help limit your exposure. Not only could this possibly reduce your risk of skin cancer, but it may help prevent skin aging and sun spots.

Being outside may be great for our mental, physical and emotional health for many reasons, including enjoying activities with friends and loved ones. By adding sunscreen to your daily routine, you may help to reduce your risk of skin cancer so you can keep doing the things you love.

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