Sunlight is essential to your health. It plays an important role in helping the body regulate your circadian rhythm and is necessary for your skin to produce vitamin D. Despite this, too much sun exposure is harmful. The sun emits powerful ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can cause skin damage and skin cancer.

At Wallace Skin and Body Institute in Los Angeles, California, esteemed cosmetic dermatologist Paul Wallace, MD, is dedicated to helping you keep your skin healthy and beautiful. Whether your skin is dry or oily, or your skin tone is light or dark, sunscreen should be a part of your daily skin care routine. Keep reading to learn why.

The sun and your skin

The sun emits many types of rays, but ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) are the most damaging to your skin. Most of the ultraviolet light that reaches your skin is in the form of ultraviolet A, which penetrates deeper into the skin and plays a larger role in skin aging. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn.

Both UVA and UVB rays are harmful, even on a cloudy day when it may not seem like there’s much sunlight. A sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB is beneficial. Keep reading to find out why sunscreen is necessary for all skin types and tones.

Reduces skin cancer risk

One of the most important reasons to wear sunscreen is that it reduces the risk of developing skin cancer. Daily use of sunscreen, along with wearing sunglasses and other protective wear like hats, wards off the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.

Wearing sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 significantly lowers your chances of developing skin cancer. At Wallace Skin & Body Institute, our special formualted sunscreen “Oasis”, from the Wallace Skincare line, has an SPF of 30 is a moisturizer, as well as a primer.

Protects against sunburn

While UVA rays are strongly linked to long-term skin damage from the sun, such as wrinkles and age spots, UVB rays cause damage like sunburn and are linked to some skin cancers. Sunburn can occur in as little as 10 minutes of UV exposure.

Sunburn is an inflammatory response to UV damage. It causes the skin to appear red and feel painful. The skin loses moisture and may feel tight. As the skin heals, the body sheds the damaged layers of skin and they begin to peel off.

Sunscreen defends against sunburn by blocking UV rays from penetrating into the skin.

Combats photo aging

Photo aging refers to age-related skin damage caused by the sun, including age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. Overtime, exposure to UVA rays can prematurely age your skin, reducing your skin’s elasticity and collagen.

UVA rays damage skin at a cellular level, causing DNA damage that accelerates skin aging. While you may not see the damage right away, over time the inflammation and DNA damage lead to dark spots, wrinkle formation, and dehydrated skin that has lost its natural bounce and brilliance.

A lifetime of sun exposure can leave you with dull, unhealthy looking skin.

When you add sunscreen into your daily skin care regimen, you protect against the harmful UVA rays that damage your skin and can make you look older.

Keeps skin tone even

The sun’s UV rays commonly cause dark spots and discoloration, resulting in an uneven skin tone. This most often occurs on sun exposed areas of the body, including the face and hands. Fortunately, wearing sunscreen is a simple way to protect against dark spots, along with other types of skin aging caused by UV rays — and not just in the summer. Even during winter months, the sun continues to emit powerful UV rays that can damage your skin.

Healthy skin, healthy you

Taking good care of your skin is part of maintaining your overall health. In keeping your skin healthy, partnering with a dermatologist is invaluable. To get started, contact our Los Angeles office to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Wallace. Keeping your skin radiant is our top priority. Pick up our Oasis Sunscreen at our local office or order online today.