Stuck in quarantine, in the midst of a pandemic. Why would you care about going the extra mile and applying sunscreen indoors? Well, ladies, it’s about time you rethink your skincare regime and start putting that sunscreen indoors. Why do you ask? We’ll tell you just why should you wear sunscreen indoors or outdoors! Go through our article to find out!
It’s a common misconception that you don’t need to wear sunscreen indoors. Standard glass windows block UVB but not UVA rays, which can penetrate deeper into the skin than UVB rays, and are the main contributing factor to photo-aging — which are changes seen as dark spots, wrinkles, and leathery textured skin.
Do You Have to Wear Sunscreen Indoors?
Properly protecting your skin from the sun includes applying sunscreen and lotion to exposed areas every time you step outside and also when you are indoors. Too many people commonly believe their skin is safe on a cloudy day, or when they are at home. But this misconception can lead to various skin problems.
1. Premature ageing
Premature ageingDermatologists recommend everyone to wear sunscreen all the time. 90 percent of premature skin aging is caused by sun exposure. A lot of people get incidental exposures of the sun that in some cases can cause sunburn and significant skin damage.
Wearing sunscreen on a regular basis even when you are at home can help prevent this. Harmful UV rays penetrate clouds and windows and get to your skin if it’s not protected.
2. Skin damage
Whether the damage is irreversible is to date unclear, but all dermatologists agree on the point that too much sun can cause harm to the skin. Sun exposure leads to changes in the collagen of a deep layer of the skin because of the UV radiation.
3. Wrinkles
Sun-exposed skin can increasingly lose moisture and essential oils, making it look dry, flaky and prematurely wrinkled, even in some younger people. This can be because exposure to sunlight frays the fibers that prop up firm skin.
4. Scarring
You are always suggested to keep any fresh scars and wounds out of the sun, whether outdoors or not. Exposing fresh cars to the sun even by sitting on your balcony can cause a great deal of skin trouble. You don’t need to apply lotion, but just have to hide them.
The problem is the combination of inflammation in the healing tissue and the UV rays. Collected they can lead to post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation (PIH), which may turn your scar and the skin around it dark brown.
5. Dryness
The sun makes the skin lose lots of moisture and essential oils. It can rapidly dehydrate your skin, leaving you with rough patches. Drink lots of water during the day, especially when you are working and exposed to heat too much, and also particularly when it’s hot and humid – that combination can be very dangerous.
How Often Should You Apply Sunscreen at Home?
This totally depends on where you’re sitting inside. If you are sitting near a window, the following rules apply – Reapply sunscreen once every couple of hours. Brush on some of those block mineral powder sunscreens available in the markets as it is a great way to do this without messing up your makeup or adding another layer of cream.
What If You Wear Make-up With SPF In It?
If the makeup you use offers broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher protection and you wear enough, that is about a nickel-size dollop to cover the face alone to get the required SPF, and you cover all exposed areas, then this is safe and sufficient. However, always remember about non-face exposed areas, because you probably don’t cover those areas with makeup.
It might be appealing to skip sunscreen indoors, but it’s in your skin’s best interest to layer it on and reapply every two hours, just as you should when you go outdoors.
It is very essential to take care of your skin keeping in mind the harmful effects of sun exposure as listed above, and the other effects that could directly harm your skin, the way it looks and feels. Therefore, it is highly recommended applying sunscreen indoors.
Also Read: 7 Best Sunscreens To Buy Online
