WEARING SUNSCREEN IS a lot like exercising. You know you should be doing it, but the process isn’t always clear. To avoid hypocrisy, I won’t divulge the frequency—more accurately infrequency—at which I work out, but I can tell you that sunscreen is just as important for health. In fact, you should even be using SPF for working out. For the specifics, I recently consulted with dermatologist and Melanoma Research Alliance skin cancer prevention advisor, Dr. Alexander Witkowski, MD, PhD, on how much SPF we should be using and how often we should be reapplying.
But first, some scary skincare facts. Not wearing or not properly applying sunscreen leaves your skin vulnerable to harmful UV rays that can cause premature aging, sunburn, and increase the risk of skin cancer. Even on cloudy days or during short outdoor exposure, unprotected skin can suffer long-term damage.
According to Dr. Witkowski, some of the highest rates of skin cancer in the United States are in states known for their frequent overcast, like Oregon and Washington. “On cloudy days, UV rays penetrate clouds and your skin will still get exposed to potential damage, hence, daily use of sunscreen is essential,” he says.
