Not only will you tan, but you will also age! Are UV rays scarier in winter than in summer? Dermatologist warns: You can't escape indoors
Do you need sunscreen in winter? Will UV rays age the skin all year round?
Even if the sun rarely shows up in winter, if you don’t take the initiative to use sun protection, will you still face the crisis of “skin aging”? Dr. Weng Ziyu, a full-time attending physician at the Dermatology Department of Shuang Ho Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained in an exclusive interview that ultraviolet light “UVA” and “UVB” can penetrate the atmosphere and affect the human body. The former accounts for about 95% of the ultraviolet radiation and can penetrate It can penetrate clouds, mist, water vapor, and even reach the indoor environment.
“The impact of UVA on the skin is regardless of the season. As long as it is exposed to sunlight radiation, it may cause “skin aging.” Therefore, sun protection is not only needed in summer, but must be done all year round!” As for UVB, Weng Ziyu Doctors explain that it is the main cause of acute injuries such as sunburn and sunburn. The amount of radiation does differ between summer and winter. The impact in winter is weaker than in summer and not as strong as UVA.
It should be noted that ultraviolet light such as UVA and UVB, in areas with long-term snowfall such as high altitudes or high latitudes, will also reflect up to 85% of ultraviolet rays due to direct sunlight shining on the snow, causing “snow blindness”. This phenomenon may also cause damage to the skin. Therefore, Dr. Weng Ziyu reminds those who plan to travel to snowy areas in the near future, or who have to engage in snow sports or snow activities, to pay more attention to skin sun protection and eye protection.
The “4 parts” of sun protection are the most important in winter! “Broadband sunscreen” not only protects against UVB but also UVA?
How are sun protection measures different in winter than in summer? Can wearing more clothes protect you from UV rays? Dr. Weng Ziyu said that clothing itself does have the function of physically preventing sun exposure. Therefore, the focus of sun protection in winter should be on the face, scalp, neck, hands and other parts exposed to the sun. A feasible approach is to wear sunglasses to avoid direct sunlight to your eyes, or snow blindness caused by sunlight reflected from the snow. Gloves, scarves or woolen hats not only keep you warm, but also protect you from the sun.
In terms of choosing sunscreen, Dr. Weng Ziyu suggests that people can choose sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor, UVB sun protection factor) of 30 or above and a PA+++ (Protection Grade of UV-A, UVA protection level). In addition, they should also pay attention to “broadband “Sunscreen” (broad-spectrum), in addition to protecting against UVB, also has a good protective effect on UVA, so as to comprehensively prevent ultraviolet damage.
“In recent years, academic circles have gradually understood UVA, so sun protection has paid more and more attention to the protection of UVA. Therefore, when choosing sunscreen products, you can take into account the protective effects of both to avoid UVA causing skin tanning and aging, and UVB causing skin sunburn. Redness, sunburn.”
Dr. Weng Ziyu also reminds the public that ultraviolet light around noon is the strongest and has the most severe impact on the skin. If you need to go out at this time, you need to take complete sun protection measures. However, since sunlight is rich in vitamin D needed by the human body, moderate sun exposure is still beneficial to health; people may wish to take adequate sun protection and be exposed to the sun for at least 10-15 minutes a day to help the body synthesize vitamin D and promote bone development. healthy.
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