SPF is the most important part of your skin care routine, but why?

SPF is one of the most important stages of your daily skincare routine – yes daily! I’m not just talking about sunscreen at the beach.

We all remember to pop on the SPF when the sun comes out, especially now the weather’s getting warmer, and those beach days are calling. But we should also be wearing SPF even when those clouds roll in and the rain starts falling.

There are two main types of UV rays we’re protecting our skin from: the first is UVB, which is associated with sunburn and going red. UVB is generally the reason we pop on sunscreen before heading out for a day at the beach or sunbathing in the garden. But the other type is just as important, although too often forgotten about – UVA. Ultraviolet A causes the premature ageing of skin!

The melanin in your skin (the pigment found in our outer skin cells), helps protect your skin from the sun, but it’s only human, like you. And it can only protect you so much, which is why, after too much exposure to these harmful ultraviolet rays our skin darkens, tans, burns or starts to peel. A good SPF is an essential barrier against damage, and your skin will absolutely love you for it.

We all wear sunscreen to protect our skin, but what exactly are we protecting it from?

Skin cancer
Premature ageing
Dark spots or hyperpigmentation
Loss of elasticity
Line and wrinkles
Sunburns

It’s not a nice list is it? And that scary one at the top, it’s definitely not a risk you want to ignore!

According to Cancer Research UK there are around 16,700 new melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK every year, that’s 46 every day. Melanoma skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK.

The worst part is that a massive 86% of skin cancer cases are preventable by wearing a good SPF and limiting exposure to harsh ultraviolet rays. It really can make that much of a difference. Just one reason why you should never stop singing the praises of SPF products. They can definitely protect your skin’s appearance from the outside, but they can also protect its health too. The little superheroes!

But what about hyperpigmentation and premature wrinkles? They really can be stopped in their tracks by wearing the right SPF. We all get some wrinkles as we age, it’s the sign of a well lived life and part of our DNA – but preventable wrinkles? Nope, pass me the SPF thank you very much!

Depending on the SPF your using depends on the kind of protection your getting and the amount you may need to reapply. Recommended SPF also varies based on your skin type and the time of year. Over the winter a lower SPF factor should see you through with a once a day application, but as we head into summer it’s definitely has to be applied much more frequently.

At Skin southwest we offer Skin consultations using the Skin OBSERV 520x that is a state of the art skin analysing system that assists dermatologists, aestheticians and clinicians with accurate skin condition diagnosis at both the epidermal and dermal layer. From this we can advise you of what your skin needs and recommend products from our leading professional range IMAGE Skincare. IMAGE Skincare offer a comprehensive collection of luxurious, broad-spectrum suncare products for clean clinical skincare, creating naturally effective, mindful formulas that deliver results. The modernised formulas with Digital Ageing Defence also help to fight against the effects of blue light and environmental skin stressors. The products are also recognised by the Skin Cancer Foundation. Not sure what you should be using, come and see us and we will guide you on your own personal skincare journey.