People always talk about protecting yourself from the sun during the summer months. While this is certainly good advice, this doesn’t mean that you should worry about sun protection only in the summer months. In reality, the winter sun poses its own unique threats to our skin and eye health.
How is the winter sun harmful?
In the summertime, the days are longer, and the sun is stronger. In the wintertime, it’s the opposite, which may cause you to wonder, why should you worry about the winter sun? Well, just because the winter sun isn’t as strong doesn’t mean it’s less harmful. During the winter months, UV rays reflect off the snow. This means that not only are you receiving the UV rays from the sun, but you’re also receiving an extra dose from the rays bouncing off the surface of the snow.
The risks
So what, exactly, happens when we receive that extra dose of UV rays? Multiple things can occur, including:
- Snow blindness
- Sunburn
- Skin aging
- Eye diseases such as cataracts or macular degeneration
- Skin cancers
Ways to protect yourself
Thankfully, there are several ways that you can protect yourself during the winter months.
Wear sunscreen
While it may seem silly to wear sunscreen during the wintertime, it can help protect any exposed skin from UV rays. You should apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to any area of your skin that’s exposed to the elements.
Bundle up
This can serve a dual purpose—not only do the extra layers keep you warm, but it’ll also further protect your skin from UV rays.
Wear sunglasses
In order to protect your eyes from the sunlight bouncing off of the snow, be sure to wear sunglasses every time you go outside. This will reduce your risk of snow blindness or more serious diseases later on in your life.
In need of a pair of shades for the coming winter months? Then check out our selection here at Real Shades to get started.