Protect your skin from Winter sun
If sunscreen couldn’t be further from your mind when it’s freezing outside, think again. Winter sun can still damage skin, leading to premature ageing, so make sunscreen part of your daily routine. A high-factor sunscreen reduces your risk of melanoma skin cancer by a whopping 30% compared with using a low factor, according to a recent study.
If you’re a skier, a highfactor sunscreen and a lip balm containing sunscreen are essential, as UV radiation exposure increases 10-12% with every 1,000 feet above sea level, and the sun’s rays also reflect off the snow. Reapply every two hours, even when it’s cloudy – 80% of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate cloud.
‘We should use sunscreens that are at least factor 30 and provide broad-spectrum cover, which means protection against both UVA and UVB,’ says Dr Anjali Mahto at the British Skin Foundation. ‘Sunscreens broadly come in two types – mineral and chemical. Mineral sunscreens were previously very thick and chalky, but new formulations are made of much smaller particles, so they rub into the skin without leaving a residue.’