Why I wear sunscreen every day and why you should too

Why I wear sunscreen every day and why you should too

I wear sunscreen every day and so do my clinic nurse and receptionist. We work in the clinic from about 9am to 5pm – so you might ask why on earth are we putting on sunscreen? The reason is that on the way to the clinic, or during our lunch break and at the end of the afternoon, we go outside. When we are outside the sun may be shining, so it would make sense to put on sunscreen, but we also wear it on days when it is cloudy and even on rainy days.
What is the mystery all about? The mystery is that we are protecting our skin from both UVA and UVB rays. This is because UVA penetrates through the clouds and rain and can cause ageing and wrinkling through photodamage – or changes to the skin through consistent exposure to harmful rays. UVB rays are mostly present when it is sunny and cause the skin to tan but also contribute to the development of skin cancer.
We strongly advise that you choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or 50+ for maximum protection from the harmful effects of both UVA and UVB rays.  This is the best course of action to take if you want to safeguard against wrinkles and photodamage and reduce the risk of precancerous skin lesions developing.
There are many good brands of SPF 50 and 50+ sunscreen, and I can recommend what I have used myself: Heliocare advanced gel with Fernblock. Alternatively, if you want a sunscreen with a light tint, I can recommend Heliocare’s Color Sun touch, Toque de Sol, also with Fernblock.
Or you can use the ultra-light fluid, Anthelios XL, which comes either as a tinted or non-perfumed fluid and is ideal for the face.
Other parts of your body can be treated either with the Heliocare products or with Anthelios XL 50+ SPF Comfort, which is available as a light milk or lotion and is also available as the Ultra-light Anthelios XL 50+ spray.
I wear sunscreen every day because I want my skin to feel and look healthy and I want to protect it as much as possible against the ageing effects of UVA and sun-damaging cellular level of UVB for the next thirty years.