Why SPF is your BFF

What’s one thing you can guarantee all skincare professionals will agree about? SPF is your BFF and you need to use it every day! Ever wonder why we stress this so much to the point you can be denied treatments if you don’t?

First of all, do you know what’s the biggest organ in your body? On your body, I guess I should say because it’s your skin! Your skin’s job is to protect you from the environment, yes, that includes from the sun however it can only do so much before the shield starts to weaken. What weakens this shield you ask? UVA and UVB rays coming from the sun have been proven to cause genetic damage and mutation at the cellular level. This means that your cells will be unable to reproduce or function correctly and can lead to melanoma, basal, and squamous cell carcinoma; also known as skin cancer.

Besides the threat of cancer, sun protection can increase the effectiveness of your skincare routine. Sun damage impairs your skin’s barrier function and can be a huge reason behind your stubborn breakouts. If you are dealing with getting rid of acne scars or uneven skin tone on your face the sun will only increase the discoloration and pigmentation as your skin tries to protect itself from the sun’s rays. If you use anti-aging products in your routine, they will also be rendered useless as the main way to reduce the look of aging is to prevent it in the first place with…you guessed it… sun protection! Don’t throw all the money you invest in your expensive skincare down the drain, seal it all in with some SPF in your morning routine and continued every few hours throughout the day. It also helps to throw in protective clothing like hats and sunglasses and limiting time in direct sun exposure.

Staying on a similar subject of your routine, a lot of skincare products will sensitize skin even more to sunlight so damage can be tenfold with no protection. This includes using vitamin C, retinoids, AHA\BHA\PHA, and treatments from your local esthetician. Choosing to still not protect yourself after will not only waste your investment but will also increase the risk and depth of cell damage, don’t risk your safety like that.

Fun in the sun is a great way to spend your time, heck I’d love to be out at a beach right now! Dermatologists’ and estheticians’ goal isn’t to make you fear the sun; simply to enjoy it safely so you can keep at it even later in life, do yourself the favour.