You need sunscreen…even if you rarely leave the house!
“But I work from home, do I really need sunscreen??”
If your house plants can thrive indoors, your skin can be exposed to the sun while you work from home too, boo! 🪴
Believe it or not, most sun damage actually comes from incidental sun exposure (the daily exposure to the sun that happens when we’re not intentionally tanning). This includes short trips outside, sitting near a window, commuting, being outside on cloudy days, etc.
Incidental sun exposure can cause cumulative sun damage that’s greater than intentional sun exposure like tanning. 🤯
^ You might recognize this picture that went viral a few months ago: a woman that religiously applied sunscreen to her face each day but not her neck… that’s incidental sun exposure in action!!
^ Or maybe you’ve heard of the guy who spent 70 years working outside but “never [left] the house without pants.” It truly looks like a 70 year age difference!
That’s why it’s important to apply (and reapply) your sunscreen throughout the day, every day!
My client friends LOVE the ease of Bioelements RayDefense. It’s a lightweight, hydrating daytime moisturizer with SPF 30 built into the formula. 2-in-1 baby!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
But even if you don’t care about preventing wrinkles and other signs of aging, skin cancer is a real danger for everyone– even if most of your exposure is incidental exposure!
Quick skin cancer facts
(courtesy of the Skin Cancer Foundation)
1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70
In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day
More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour
Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma
One study found that regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 50% when used as directed
I’m sorry to scare you with these facts, but sometimes we need to be reminded of just how dangerous the sun can be without proper protection!
To make it up to you, I’ve wrangled up some of my go-to tips for sunscreen usage…
Sunscreen Application Tips:
Expiration date - If you find an old bottle of sunscreen in the back of your medicine cabinet, make sure to check the expiration date! Sunscreen without an expiration date has a shelf life of no more than 3 years, and its shelf life is shorter if it has been exposed to high temperatures!
Reapply - If you think one layer of sunscreen is good enough to protect you all day…I’m sorry to burst your bubble! It is recommended by basically every single dermatologist and esthetician to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours, especially after swimming or sweating it off.
SPF - The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) specifically recommends SPF 30 or higher, water resistant, broad spectrum sunscreen! Many dermatologists recommend getting a 30 SPF sunscreen because it’s effective, but you also will be more likely to actually reapply the sunscreen compared to a product with 60 SPF.
Lips - Don’t forget that skin cancer also can form on the lips! To protect your luscious lips, apply a lip balm that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Eyelids - Getting sunscreen in your eyes sucks, but getting skin cancer in your eyelids sucks more! According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, “the thin tissue surrounding [your eyes] including your upper and lower eyelids, is extremely vulnerable to damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Because of that, nonmelanoma skin cancers on and around the eyelids are common.”
Scalp - Another easily forgotten spot; make sure to wear a hat or other head covering whenever possible, and apply sunscreen on exposed areas of your scalp.
Neck - Remember the first picture of the lady who didn’t put sunscreen on her neck? Yeah. That’s all I have to say!
Thanks for tuning in to my second blog post! If you have any specific questions, DM me on instagram for judgment-free guidance:)
Xo, Sunni
Woman/queer owned 💖💜💙 | Hippie vibes | Private in-home spa experience | Off street parking | 39th + Bloomington in South Minneapolis