I have heard all possible excuses on this one, trust me…But to make it more clear, here are 3 Reasons to Use Sunscreen All Year Round

It’s 2025, and hopefully we all know the importance of wearing sunscreen. Sun damage is a major and largely preventable risk factor for skin cancer. Using SPF consistently and correctly reduces that risk. UV exposure can also cause painful sunburns (which in themselves increase an individual’s risk of skin cancer later in life). And sun damage is also the primary preventable cause of visible skin aging. To sum it up – 90% of skin damages are caused by the UV rays! 

It is good to see that sunscreen awareness is  high. But in skincare communities all over the Internet you still find people pondering the age-old question: “Do I really have to use sunscreen in winter, or when there is not much sun?”

Why you should use sunscreen in winter

In the interests of fairness, let’s go over why you may not need to use sunscreen in winter, at least not as diligently as you would during the summer months. You likely spend much less time outdoors in winter than in summer, so you receive less UV exposure overall. The darker winter time in many parts of the world further cuts down on sun exposure. So does the lower UV index due to being farther from the sun.

Due to these factors, most people will be less likely to get a sunburn in winter. That may make you feel like you don’t really need to use sunscreen in winter.

But there are enough reasons to keep using your sunscreen even on cold, cloudy, maybe even snowy winter days.  The reasons to wear sunscreen all year around:

  1. Just because you’re not burning, doesn’t mean your skin is safe

To understand this, let’s look at the different types of UV radiation we’re exposed to: UVA and UVB. UVB radiation causes damage at the uppermost layers of skin and is responsible for sunburns. UVA radiation is longer wavelength than UVB. It penetrates skin more deeply than UVB and damages skin at a deeper level. UVA radiation is responsible for many visible signs of skin aging, including dark spots, coarse skin texture, and wrinkles and sagging due to collagen and elastin breakdown.

So, UVB – sun burns, UVA- aging….

UVB levels vary throughout the year. They’re highest in summer months and lowest in winter months, since distance to the sun makes a big difference for this shorter wavelength light. UVA levels, however, remain fairly constant through the year. They also penetrate cloud cover. So repeated exposure to even winter sun on a cloudy day can lead to accelerated skin aging and increased cancer risk.

  1. You can still burn in winter—sometimes more easily than in summer

Some winter conditions can actually increase their ability to burn and damage skin. Snow, for example, reflects UVB up at you from the ground, magnifying the effects of the sun on your skin. 

  1. Cumulative sun exposure adds up

The sun exposure we get when we’re outside for 10 minutes here or 15 minutes there adds up over time. The result, even if we’re never outside all day, is still increased risk of skin cancer and more visible signs of skin aging at a younger age.

So whether you’re on the sunscreen because you’re concerned about skin cancer, or because you’d like to maintain youthful skin for as long as you can, you should use sunscreen in winter. If you can see the sun, UV radiation can reach your skin. 

For an incomparably lightweight, high UVA and UVB protection sunscreen that moisturize with a soft finish with and no white cast, I recommend  Pure Face Mineral Sun Protection SPF30

I hope this important habit is already in your routine, at least after reading why to use Sunscreen All Year Round