In Winter is it necessary to use sunscreen?
There is no reason to think that sunscreen will not work just because it is colder during winter. This is because temperature has nothing to do with the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The effects of these ultraviolet rays are present all year round, and they are one of the causes of skin cancer. Therefore, do not neglect sunscreen during winter; use it regularly. When you leave the house in the morning, apply sunscreen and keep it with you.
Many people think that sunscreen only needs to be applied once a day, which is a completely wrong idea. Especially in summer, excessive sweating, swimming, and air pollution reduce the effectiveness of sunscreen. To get the full benefits of sunscreen, you need to apply it every two hours on all areas of the skin exposed to sunlight. Use it even if your room has sufficient light. Regular use of sunscreen throughout the year will protect you from sunburn.
Additionally, if you spend a lot of time outside during the day, the moisture in your skin decreases, leading to age spots, wrinkles, and dark spots. Regular use of sunscreen reduces wrinkles on the skin, prevents the production of excess melanin, and maintains the skin’s natural color. Furthermore, sunscreen protects the skin from the intensity of the sun, prevents photoaging, and keeps the skin soft and healthy.
Discussion on the Need for Sunscreen
Many people commonly believe that sunscreen is only needed during summer and that it is unnecessary in winter. However, this misconception often leads patients, especially those with melasma, to neglect regular sunscreen use.
Melasma typically requires a long time to heal, often taking six months to a year. For instance, a patient may be prescribed a bleaching agent to use at night in September and instructed to apply sunscreen during the day. However, when the patient returns the following winter, there may be little to no improvement in melasma after 3–4 months. This often happens because the patient did not use sunscreen during the winter.
Some patients assume that the sun’s heat is less intense in winter, so sunscreen is unnecessary. However, the purpose of sunscreen is to block harmful UVA and UVB rays, which penetrate the ozone layer and reach the earth, regardless of the season or sunlight intensity.
When patients use bleaching agents at night, their melasma may decrease slightly. However, if they skip sunscreen during the day, the condition often worsens, preventing any significant improvement. For this reason, sunscreen should be used year-round, regardless of the season.
Current studies show that even visible light can exacerbate melasma. Light exposure is also a contributing factor to various skin diseases. This is why individuals who spend a lot of time in the kitchen or under artificial light are particularly advised to use sunscreen.
Types of sunscreen:
There are various types of sunscreen available in the market to suit different skin types:
- Special sunscreens for oily skin.
- Separate sunscreens for dry skin.
- Sunscreens suitable for combination skin (both oily and dry).
Sunscreen is also available in different forms, such as:
- Liquid
- Cream
- Ointment
- Spray
- Powder
Some sunscreens even double as makeup products while protecting the skin from damage.
- Sunscreen should be applied whenever sunlight is present.
- Typically, sunscreen remains effective for four hours after application.
- If you spend extended periods outdoors, reapply sunscreen every four hours.
- Sunscreen should also be reapplied after sweating or washing your face.
The primary purpose of sunscreen is to protect the skin from harmful sunlight and reduce skin pigmentation.