Heading into the Australian summer, we all know how important sunscreen is to protect ourselves from sun exposure. You may have a family-sized bottle near the front door or a small tube in your bag for quick reapplication, ready to face the UV and heat.
However, it can be easy to neglect your sun protection if you're not planning on leaving the house. Whether you're working from home, at the office, or simply spending your weekends indoors, sunscreen is vital.
It sounds counterintuitive, but daily sunscreen application indoors has benefits for short- and long-term skin health. It can help protect you from skin cancer, slow ageing, and boost your skincare routine.
5 benefits of wearing sunscreen indoors
The fundamental reason to wear sunscreen indoors is that ordinary glass is partially transparent to ultraviolet radiation. This allows ultraviolet rays to filter through into the home. Even if you are watching TV on the couch by a window during the day, you can still be exposed to UV rays that increase the likelihood of developing skin cancers. Regardless, daily sunscreen application is one way to boost your skincare and sun safety to ensure ultimate protection.
1. Prevent premature ageing
The sun produces two types of ultraviolet light that can damage the skin: UVA and UVB rays.
Ultraviolet A rays (UVA rays) can penetrate deeply to cause damage, even through window glass and on cloudy days. While you may not experience sunburn (caused by UVB rays), the skin damage to skin cells from UVA develops below the outermost layer of the skin, called the epidermis, only to be discovered much later when spots arise.
Consistent exposure to UVA rays can result in premature skin ageing, such as skin elasticity loss and wrinkles. That is because UVA radiation attacks the dermis, the dense layer of skin below the epidermis, made of fibrous (collagen) and elastic (elastin) tissue. This layer houses blood vessels, glands and hair follicles, as well as nerves and their receptors, while also providing your skin with strength and integrity. Premature ageing is, hence, a symptom of a problem of greater importance: significant damage to the dermis, which can contribute to skin cancer.
Therefore, broad-spectrum sunblock is the safest rule of thumb to protect yourself since it is impossible to determine the amount of UVA exposure you have had without showing any signs of tanning or burning.
2. Protect yourself from skin cancer
This may be the most obvious reason to slap on some sunscreen; however, many are under the false assumption that the sun can't harm them while indoors. However, UVB rays can damage your skin whether you're enjoying lunch in a sunlit dining room, driving the kids around in the car or relaxing by your windows.
UVB rays are responsible for causing redness and inflammation, leading to sunburn. Once this sunburn peels, the remaining cells are susceptible to further damage over time, increasing your risk of developing skin cancer.
3. Block blue light emitted from screens
Blue light naturally occurs in the visible light spectrum and is prevalent in sunlight. However, there have been many articles on artificial blue light, produced from digital screens on devices like smartphones, tablets, computers and televisions, and its negative impacts on our eyes and sleep patterns.
But did you know it also affects our skin?
Blue light does not cause sunburn, but the free radicals formed by blue light can cause premature ageing, age spots from increased melanin and sagging skin from a decrease in collagen. Prolonged blue light exposure, that is, more than an hour, can cause cell shrinkage and even cell death.
However, mineral broad-spectrum sunscreens, such as those with iron oxide, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, can provide a barrier between your skin and environmental pollutants, such as blue light, perfumes, aerosols, carbon monoxide and microplastics. Mineral sunscreens help reduce eczema flare-ups. Increasing your antioxidant intake (like vitamin C) will also help mitigate the impacts of blue light on your largest organ.
4. Boost your skincare routine
Even if you're not a skincare guru and don't know what "retinol" and "hyaluronic acid" are, neglecting sunscreen will make your routine less effective. Most skincare products will not live to their potential without using at least SPF 30+ to prevent anti-ageing. However, retinol, certain exfoliants and salicylic acids, in particular, can increase your sensitivity to sunburns. Retinol thins the outer layer of the skin, causing your face to be more vulnerable to UV radiation and heightening the risk of developing skin cancer.
To cover your bases (literally), a good slathering of sunscreen on your face after applying cleansers, toners, serums, and essential oils will ensure your appearance is as beautiful as it is healthy.
5. Keep your skin moisturised
Sunscreen has come a long way in the past decade, as scientists and skin care companies have realised that people don't want to sacrifice their skin health or careful makeup appearance by smattering a thick white sheen over their face and waiting for acne to develop.
Many sunscreen options are now combined with daily moisturising options or as additions to makeup application, making year-round sunscreen application an easy task. Sunscreens are now packed with high-quality, skin-pampering ingredients. Fast absorbing, light, and effective, you won't even notice many of these products once they've been rubbed in.
Think of your sunscreen application not as a chore but as an essential part of your skincare routine. Whatever shape your sunscreen comes in — organic, powdered, spray-on or a family-sized pump — the best sunscreen is the one you will remember to use. Just ensure your SPF is at least 30+ and that you apply (and re-apply) regularly.
How often do I need to reapply sunscreen indoors?
Sunscreen should be reapplied every 4–6 hours indoors. It may seem like a lot at first, but remember, sun damage is cumulative and exposed skin is at risk of UV rays inside and out. Ultraviolet radiation damages DNA and enough recurrent damage inhibits your skin cells' capacity to repair DNA, increasing their chances of becoming malignant.
Of course, your skin type impacts your vulnerability to skin cancer — people with fairer skin are more at risk than those with darker pigmentation. However, UV radiation does not discriminate. So, whether you're at the beach or in the study, lather up and protect your body from any nasty surprises.
What should I look for on my skin?
When it comes to detecting skin cancer and melanomas, it is best to observe the ABCDE rule when checking for skin spots, moles and other marks:
- A: Asymmetrical moles, spots or lesions are more prone to developing into melanoma.
- B: Borders of moles or spots that are irregular (not round) are at greater risk of cancerous.
- C: Colours that change or that are irregular in the same spot should be checked further.
- D: Diameters of spots or moles that are larger than 6 mm (the size of a pencil eraser) are worth investigating further.
- E: Evolving spots or moles that you notice changes in should be checked by a professional as soon as possible.
Get peace of mind with a professional skin check
If you want to take your skincare to the next level, there is nothing better than a professional skin check to provide a unique clarity to your skin health. Skin cancer is, ultimately, Australia's cancer, and regular, comprehensive skin checks are your best bet to ensure certainty about your skin's health.
The friendly doctors at SunDoctors are the experts at checking your skin for signs of skin cancer. With skin cancer clinics across QLD, NSW, VIC and SA, be sure to book an appointment to give both yourself and your family peace of mind, letting you and your loved ones get back to work and play that much sooner!
Call us on 13 SKIN (13 75 46) to book your skin check appointment today!
