Here’s why you should be slathering on sunscreen, even when indoors

This covid-19 situation has forced us to quarantine within the confines of our home, thereby changing the way we live, play and work! When you work from home, you can happily sit in your comfy pyjamas and ditch the bra, but how about sunscreen? Ladies, missing out on this ‘beauty staple’ is a sin!

If you’ve skipped sunscreen all this while, then it’s time to undo the damage! Whether you’re typing away furiously on your laptops, or watching your favourite Netflix show at home: wearing sunscreen is a must. 

And considering the fact that we’re all going to be stuck in our homes in the foreseeable future, it’s important to understand why you must wear sunscreen indoors.

The science behind wearing sunscreen at home
While the glass panels of your windows block UV rays to an extent, they don’t filter these rays completely! Let’s get into the details — UV rays are of two kinds: UVA and UVB. The former accelerates ageing of skin cells, and is the biggest cause of wrinkles. On the other hand, UVB rays are responsible for sunburns, and are linked with skin cancer. 

What generally happens is that the glass panel blocks most of the UVB rays, but fails in the case of UVA! Without even realising, you might be getting exposed to the harsh rays of the sun, and that could reduce the production of collagen, and in some cases even lead to severe skin conditions like melasma. 

You’re only safe when you sit inside a windowless room or have UV-blocking curtains in your home. Instead of arranging for all that and more, isn’t it easier to include sunscreen in your quarantine skincare routine? We hear a resounding YES!

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Your phone and laptop screens could damage your skin
This might come as a surprise, but when you sit on your laptops or phones for hours, you end up damaging your skin. Why may you ask? This is because the blue light that is emitted by these gadgets, also called high-energy visible (HEV) light, has the ability to penetrate deep into your skin, which means lots of dark spots and wrinkles!

A study published in the Journal of Biomedical Physics and Engineering suggests that the blue light promotes free radicals, which damage and kill your collagen. Moreover, this light can also damage human eyes and skin. 

While there aren’t any sunscreens that have HEV-protecting properties, try and use those with mineral blocker ingredients, such as zinc oxide. It will not just protect you from UVA rays, but will also help in reducing the effect of blue light. 

This or that, the answer to keeping your skin safe and healthy even during quarantine, is the good ol’ sunscreen!