The current Covid-19 pandemic has put the world on lockdown. We’re spending more and more time at home without having any intention of going out for an indefinite time. However, this is also the time when you’re working on things that you’ve been putting on hold for a long time, such as your hobbies and spending some quality time with your family. You might even be focusing more on self-care, exercising regularly, eating healthier, and following a strict skincare routine.
Despite this, there might be one thing that you’d be missing, and that is applying sunscreen.
But I am indoors all day and away from the sun? Do I still need to wear sunscreen?
In short, the answer is yes.
Our homes have windows, and ample sunlight enters through it. Even your computer screen emits light that can be highly damaging to the skin. Hence, the common misconception that sunscreen isn’t needed indoors is false, and we’ll explain to you how.
How Sunscreen Works
Sunscreen, or sunblock, reduces the overall UV exposure and lowers your risk of skin cancer and sun damage. There are broadly two types of UV rays – UVA and UVB. The former is responsible for premature ageing of your skin, while the latter can cause severe burns.
A typical sunscreen is composed in a way that it protects against all UV emission. Inorganic ingredients such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide act as physical sun blockers and deflect UV rays. Whereas organic ingredients, such as avobenzone or oxybenzone, absorb the UV radiation so that our skin doesn’t.
Standard glass windows at our home, cars, and offices are efficient in blocking UVB rays, but not UVA, which penetrates deeper into our skin. Even this is enough to cause skin cancer. This stands true in the case of ‘blue light’ too, which is the light that comes from your digital devices and even the flames of your gas stove. Blue light is known to cause hyperpigmentation when left exposed on the skin for too long.
Thus, even when you’re indoors, many factors within your home or office can lead to severe and irreversible skin damage that also happens when you’re out in the open sun. Hence, wearing sunscreen while indoors is as important as wearing it outdoors.
Choose the Right SPF
Whether you use chemical sunscreen or mineral sunscreen, you must choose the one that is labeled ‘broad-spectrum’. An SPF of 30 or higher works well if the sunscreen provides effective protection i.e. is broad-spectrum, as recommended by dermatologists and skin specialists.
To get overall protection, you must apply sunscreen worth a full shot glass all over the body, and half a teaspoon worth on the face and neck. Reapplication is a must after every two-three hours, as the sunscreen’s ability to protect against the UV rays lessens over time.
Many of us find it tempting to skip sun protection when indoors. However, for healthy and youthful skin, wearing sunblock is a must, just like you would do when you go outside.