What Time of Day Can You Stop Wearing Sunscreen?

Is there a point in time during the day when you don’t have to wear sunscreen? And can you just put it on in the morning and be done for the day? Fortunately the answers to these questions are simple! And once you know the answer your skin will thank you.

Sunscreen Until the Sun Goes Down

Yup, that’s the word from experts. According to Dr. Jen Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC News, when she was asked this question on air about when to stop wearing sunscreen she said “as long as the sun is up you can get sun damage skin.”

Her recommendation and that of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is that everyone needs to wear sunscreen every day. That’s because according to the AAD:

“The sun emits harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate the clouds” and a sunscreen “helps to protect your skin from sunburn, early skin aging and skin cancer.”

Sunscreen Needs to Be Reapplied

One more thing, sunblock isn’t something that you can just apply in the morning once and forget about it. It needs to be reapplied at least every two hours and more often if you’re sweating or swimming.

I know it can be a pain to remember. Something that helps me – I set a notification on my phone to remind me.

Suncare Smarts

So there you have it – a simple answer to when and how often you need to wear sunscreen. It’s every day, everyone, and every two hours until the sun goes down!

For even more sunscreen and sun protection tips check out our Suncare Smarts series.