With the end of the school year quickly approaching, the number of people spending time outside in the sun will increase dramatically. Aside from being a significant factor in sustaining life, the sun also provides us with vitamin D, lower blood pressure, and serotonin. With the sun’s great benefits, why do we need sunscreen?

Studies show one in three  Americans rarely wear sunscreen making them prone to significant skin damage. Skin is the body’s largest organ holding organs, protecting from harmful germs, and regulating temperature. When exposed to UV rays from the sun without protection, the DNA in our skin is altered and damaged causing certain genes that tell our cells how to function. These mutations can cause genes that suppress tumors to become dormant, increasing the chance of sun-damaged skin cells mutating into skin cancer. 

Melanoma, one of the fastest-acting skin cancers, kills twenty Americans per day. By wearing sunscreen with SPF 15, the risk decreases by 40%. Aside from preventing skin cancer, sunscreen can reduce acne, prevent signs of early aging, prevent the thinning of blood vessels, and lower skin discoloration. Sunscreen protection is based on SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and ranges from SPF 15 to SPF 100. SPF denotes the amount of time it takes for your skin to burn compared to without sunscreen, so SPF 50 will protect your skin fifty times longer than without sunscreen. Most sunscreen brands recommend consumers reapply sunscreen every two hours regardless of SPF level, so this summer no matter the weather, ensure you’re wearing sunscreen!