I know, it sounds a bit crazy, so bear with me. This past year many of us stayed inside a bit more. While this caused some habits to change - one habit that shouldn’t change is wearing sunscreen every day. Yes, even indoors you need to wear sunscreen - more on that below - but do you need to reapply your sunscreen if you’re inside all day?
Why You Need to Wear Sunscreen Inside
Quick refresher, as we covered this topic in 2020. Yes, even if you spend the whole day inside, it’s a good idea to apply sunscreen because you’re still exposed to the sun’s UV radiation. How? Well most of us like sunlight coming into our homes and we don’t keep the shades drawn all day.
“So what”, you might say. Well, your windows don’t block all UV rays. In fact, most standard glass windows only block UVB rays and UVA rays are a big culprit in skin aging and skin cancer. So you’re getting sun exposure even when inside.
Why You Need to Reapply Sunscreen Inside
Ok, ok, so sunscreen is a must indoors – but I don’t need to re-apply if I’m spending the day inside, right? We know that outside it’s recommended to reapply (most dermatologists suggest every two hours) and more frequently if sweating or swimming. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires all SPF products to state the 2-hour recommendation on their label.
The same is true inside because it’s not just the sun that causes the sunscreen on your skin to be less effective over time , it’s your own skin. According to dermatologist Angelo Landriscina, MD:
"Sunscreens need to form a film over the skin in order to work…That film is disrupted by the oils your skin makes, and just by normal wear and tear and moving around."
That’s why, reapplying sunscreen - even while spending the day inside - helps maintain a level of protection.
Ok, let’s be honest, the idea that we are all going to reapply sunscreen every two hours while inside might be a stretch. I try to do it, but I don’t always remember, and I own a sunscreen brand. Afterall, we all get caught up in our day. So if you can’t re-apply every two hours, try shooting for re-applying during your lunch break. Every little bit helps.
If reapplying – inside or out - is hard to remember to do, we have some helpful hints. It involves getting your phone involved, something most of us have close at hand all day. So check out our post: “5 Ways Your Phone Can Prevent Skin Cancer”. Hopefully it’ll make remembering and applying easier!
Suncare Smarts
As I always say think of wearing sunscreen like brushing your teeth, you have to do it every morning whether you go outside or not. And then it’s best to do it again throughout the day. Our skin is our largest organ and something we all need to take care of every day.
Want more tips on protecting your skin check out our Suncare Smarts or Education series.
