Winter is here, with the weather now chilly and a cool breeze blowing, you will see that no one is avoiding the rays of the sun, rather in winter mornings most people bathe in it. Even later in the day, people are walking under sunlight or doing their activities comfortably. In our country people enjoy being under the sun almost in every part of the day for the pleasant warmth in this chilly weather.
Damaging capacity of ultraviolet rays
The sun produces two types of ultraviolet (UV) rays – UVA and UVB. UVA rays, which account for up to 95% of UV rays that reach the Earth’s surface, penetrate deeper into skin, causing wrinkles and have been associated with melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer. In winter the damaging effect of UV rays is more and susceptibility to UV damage is high, particularly for those exposed more times under sunrays.
UV rays in winter have more intensity
Due to cloudless sky in winter,UV rays can directly touch our skin without facing any filtering effect. Usually clouds and humidity act as filters, weakens the UV rays when they come down to the ground. Cloudless sky and less humid environment lets the UV rays with stronger level reach the ground. UV rays always damage the skin, darken its tone and makes the skin aged earlier.
UVA rays are almost equally intense during all daylight hours throughout the year; they can penetrate clouds and glass. In fact, in some winter conditions people have to be aware of the potential UV damage from participating in outdoor winter sports. Cooler temperatures don’t mean that it’s time to put away your UV protection. Shielding the eyes from the sun in winter is just as important as doing it at any other time of year. Overexposure to UV radiation can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration, two of the leading causes of vision loss among older people.
UV protection
Anytime an individual is outdoors they should limit winter UV exposure by wearing appropriate UV protection. More than 90% of all skin cancers are associated with sun exposure.
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 30+ or higher. Apply 20 to 30 minutes before going outside. Apply sunscreen to all areas of exposed skin. Use at least a teaspoon on the face. And don’t forget the ears, neck, and the skin around the eyes.
If you’re participating in winter sport or picnic, it’s a good idea to use a sunscreen with moisturiser. Winter weather can be tough on the skin. Use a lip balm with a 15+ SPF.
Additionally, sun damage is clearly associated with facial aging. Without sun protection, just a few minutes of exposure each day over the years can cause noticeable changes to the skin. Freckles, age spots, spider veins on the face, rough and leathery skin, fine wrinkles that disappear when stretched, loose skin, a blotchy complexion, and actinic keratoses (thick wart-like, rough, reddish patches of skin) can all be traced to sun exposure.
Also known as photo aging, this aging caused by repeated sun exposure makes the skin lose its ability to repair itself by breaking down the skin’s collagen and impairing the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks the skin’s elastin, weakening the skin from springing back, and causing loose, wrinkled and leathery skin due to the unprotected exposure to sunlight.
Winter is a great time to repair the skin after a long summer of sun damage. It is recommended that you get a great cleansing and exfoliating facial at the start of the season to get rid of the flaky skin that builds up. It is also the perfect time to address pigment damage that has occurred due to sun exposure.
