Why should you wear daily SPF?

Did you know 90% of visible skin aging is caused by the sun rather than the natural aging process? Wearing sunscreen daily is the key to radiant youthful skin. Preventing hyperpigmentation, skin cancer and protecting your melanocytes. This essay will argue that sunscreen is the secret to long-term beauty.

I believe that everyone should wear sunscreen daily. This matters because it protects your skin from harmful UV rays that damage all the way to the dermis (the middle layer of your skin). Daily SPF prevents the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the dermis keeping your skin plump and bouncy. While most people spend thousands in their lifetime on beauty treatments and skincare products. The American Academy of Dermatology and the Australian Bureau of Statistics state that more than 50% of people skip sunscreen. Daily SPF prevents wrinkles and acne scars by stopping UV rays from destroying your skin's collagen.

Hyperpigmentation highlights the urgent need for consistent sun protection. This is important because hyperpigmentation can deeply affect a person's self-esteem and skin confidence. Daily use of SPF is essential to prevent hyperpigmentation, a common and harmless condition where excess melanin causes patches of skin to become darker than the surrounding areas.When a pimple heals, it leaves behind an inflamed red or brown mark (Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation). UV rays from the sun turn the mark into a semi permanent mark rather than a temporary one. Daily SPF stops hyperpigmentation.

Have you ever wondered if you need sunscreen through winter? Hopefully, this isn't the case because harmful ultraviolet rays stay strong all year even when it's cold and cloudy. Skin Cancer a life threatening disease, is found in about 2 out of 3 Australians before the age of 70. In the 1990s, The Nambour Skin Cancer Prevention Trial conducted in Queensland, Australia for over 4.5 years, showed that regularly using sunscreen can reduce the risk of melanoma by 50% and the risk of Squamous cell carcinoma by 40%. Approximately 90% of melanoma skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultra violet radiation from the sun. UV light penetrates deeper in the skin creating reactive oxygen species that damage skin structures and cause genetic mutations linked to melanoma. Skin cancer is dangerous because abnormal, damaged cells grow out of control, destroy healthy tissue and spread to other parts of the body where they become life-threatening. About 2,000 Australians pass away due to skin cancer every single year. It can spread and kill.

Skin aging, hyperpigmentation, and skin cancer are only a few reasons why daily SPF is essential. Up to 90% of visible skin aging is linked to sun exposure. UV rays can penetrate deep into the skin reaching the dermis. Are you part of the 50% of people who skip SPF? 

Written by - Laela Zreika