Why stay in the room all day and still have to apply sunscreen?

According to Dr. Tran Hanh Vy, Department of Dermatology – Skin Aesthetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, we easily remember to apply sunscreen in the summer. Although the sun may not be as strong in winter, skipping sunscreen during this time is a big mistake. “Sunscreen should be an important part of your routine no matter the weather or time of year. Even if you work in the office all day long, you should not skip sunscreen, “said Dr. Hanh Vy.

Should I wear sunscreen when I’m in the office all day? This is a very controversial question. The name “sunscreen” makes many people think that it is used to protect against harmful effects from the sun and that the sun is only available outside.

But according to the doctor, when working in the office, you should also wear sunscreen. This is especially true if you sit near a window or drive to work. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, glasses block UVB rays well, but not UVA rays. The same goes for glass windows on planes, buses, and cars.

UV is a fairly strong radiation, so it can still pass through glass doors and windows and cause harm to your skin. In recent years, the trend of glass door design is very popular, especially in large working buildings.

Even a small dose of sunlight can affect your skin. One study found that people who sat near the window had more wrinkles and deeper crow’s feet on the part of their face that was in contact with the window. In addition, the light from technology screens, especially the blue light spectrum emitted by phone and computer screens, affects the skin during 8 working hours a day. This type of light also does a lot of damage to the skin through the production of free radicals in the skin’s cells.

The energy of UV rays or harmful rays on the skin when we work in an indoor environment is lower than that of working in the environment. However, gradually accumulated, they will cause aging and skin pigmentation problems.

“Some studies show that too much blue-green light exposure from computers and screens can lead to cell damage and death. Applying sunscreen also does no harm and does more harm than good, “said Dr. Hanh Vy.

In fact, the effectiveness of sunscreen will decrease over time, especially when the skin is exposed to the sun a lot and there is no protective gear. Therefore, we need to apply sunscreen several times a day for optimal effectiveness.

You should also choose a quality cream suitable for your skin area, skin type (oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin…). Apply at least 20 minutes before going out in the sun, reapply every 3-4 hours. You should prioritize areas exposed to direct sunlight. If possible, apply sunscreen to the whole body.

Ngoc Trang