Brace yourselves, winter is coming. That means cooler temperatures and sweater weather.
But just because there may be snow soon, doesn’t mean the sunshine is gone for good. Did you know you can still get a sunburn, even in the cooler months?
UV rays are prominent year round, and that means unprotected skin can still be damaged, even if you don’t feel the sun’s heat beating down on you.
Snow is a reflective surface, which gives UV rays a surface to bounce off of, which exposed skin absorbs.
Dermatologist, Dr. Fiona Lovegrove recommends using a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 30 or higher, for constant protection year round. “That certainly helps cut down on your overall sun exposer”.
If you don’t give your skin the protection it needs no matter the season, you’ll increase your risks of developing skin cancer.
Lovegrove explains there are genetic factors that play a role in who develops skin cancer, but everyone is at risk. “Excessive or chronic sunlight exposure can cause skin cancer”.
Melanoma skin cancer will affect 1 in 57 men, and 1 in 74 women throughout their lives, and in 2015 it was the cause of 1,170 deaths, making it the most deadly form of skin cancer.
There are other ways one can be exposed to UV rays, even without spending time in the sun.
Tanning beds are great for giving folks a sun kissed look to their skin, but they come at a cost.
Lovegrove knows tanning can become addictive, but doesn’t think the risks are worth the fuss. “We really just have to get people out of feeling that looking tanned is healthy”.
She adds that if the risk of developing skin cancer isn’t enough to deter you, it has other negative effects as well. She says tanning can contribute to aging, among other things that in the long run will make you look unhealthy.
There are some benefits to tanning, however, that include an increase of vitamin D, reduced arthritis pain, and an enhanced mood.
