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Want younger-looking skin? Follow this one tip from a Miami dermatologist

Almost every day, a new anti-aging skincare product or “miracle cure” is advertised to consumers. However, you do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on new products to have smooth, wrinkle-free skin.

One of the easiest and most cost-effective things you can do to get younger-looking skin is to wear sunscreen every day, all year-round. Here’s why.

UVA vs. UVB rays

It is important to understand the difference between UVA and UVB rays, because even though you may not see signs of a full-blown sunburn, your skin can still be damaged from the sun, causing premature aging.

UVA rays have longer wavelengths than UVB rays, so UVA light penetrates more deeply into your skin, causing premature lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging. Shorter UVB rays are responsible for the redness, heat and peeling caused by sunburn.

Because UVA rays are longer, they can also penetrate glass. This means that your skin can become damaged and wrinkle-prone when sitting indoors next to a window or when driving in your car without wearing sunscreen.

Why is daily sunscreen so important?

Many people only wear sunscreen when they are planning an outdoor activity or trip to the beach. However, studies show that protecting your skin only during these instances and not on a daily basis puts you at risk for premature aging and skin cancer.

Here are three of the most important reasons why daily sunscreen is so crucial to your skin’s health and appearance:

  1. The cumulative effects of short unprotected exposures to the sun add up over time to premature aging on your skin. They also put you at an increased risk for melanoma and other skin cancers.

  2. As mentioned above, UVA rays are longer than UVB and can penetrate glass. So even if you are indoors, your skin is not necessarily protected from damaging UV rays.

  3. Significant UV light reaches the earth all year-round, in all U.S. locations. This means you can still get sun damage in the winter months, even in the Northern hemisphere.

Choosing a sunscreen

Daily sunscreen use is one of the best (and easiest!) things you can do to reduce the appearance of lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging, as well as reduce your risk of skin cancer.

Choose a sunscreen that will work well with your skin type so that you will look forward to using it and not dread side effects like shininess or a white film.

Sunscreen comes in many forms, including sprays, sticks and lotions, so choose the kind that you like best and commit to using it every day for healthier, younger-looking skin.

For more skincare advice, follow Baumann Cosmetic on YouTube or @BaumannCosmetic on Instagram or Facebook.