Sunscreens are magical. With all the negative effects caused by long exposure to harmful sun rays, from sunburn and aging to deadly diseases like skin cancer, sunscreen should be a daily weapon as we step into the world. But applying sunscreen isn’t enough. Are we applying it to all the right spots?
When we think about sunscreens, we usually focus on our faces. However, many parts of our body badly need the SPF here. And that’s why we will be looking at some of these spots today.
Scalp
You didn’t see that coming, but your scalp needs some loving. Yes, you’ve got a head full of hair, but that doesn’t exactly do enough to protect your scalp. Also, your scalp is the closest to the sun, getting direct hits every day. This is why you need to apply some sunscreen to it.
If you are wondering how it might turn out, luckily, it doesn’t have to be messy. A little SPF goes a long way. Better still, get sunscreen specifically meant for the scalp to get an invisible but potent protection for your scalp.
Ears
When applying sunscreen on our face, we conveniently leave the ears out. This shouldn’t be so. Every part of our external ears, from the lobes to the creases behind the ears get beaten by the sun, and the protection of an SPF 30 or above sunscreen goes a long way. By the way, fashion accessories like a hat can help block some of the rays, serving dual purposes – beauty and protection.
Neck and Chest
After your head, your neck takes the next amount of beating from the sun. Since your neck is mostly exposed, there is a substantial risk of skin cancer to the neck as well. And that is exactly why you should get some sunscreen on your neck and chest, as the chest is also exposed.
Eyelids
If you are worried about applying sunscreen on your eyelids, you’re not alone. There are a number of people who get irritated by the sunscreen due to how sensitive the skin on our eyelids are. But there is a trick to it. First apply all your other skincare products, like lotions. Then, add the sunscreen as a last layer for the ultimate protection.
Hands
The funny thing about our hands is that they are the natural tools we use in applying sunscreen on our face. Then, just after applying the sunscreen, we proceed to either wipe off our hands or wash the sunscreen off completely.
It has to do with the “greasy feeling” we are trying to get rid of. But the hands are just as exposed to the sun. If you want to slow down the sunburn and notorious aging of the hands, show them some sunscreen love.
Your Lips
Your lips are probably the last place you’d expect to apply a sunscreen. But they are just as exposed as your face. The thing here is that you don’t have to apply the generic sunscreen straight on your lips. Instead, invest in a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or above. This will do the trick of keeping your lips luscious while keeping it well protected.
The sun can be unforgiving, and ignorance doesn’t diminish its side effects on our body when we leave it exposed. Therefore, applying sunscreen on all the exposed spots on our body is not a luxury, after all. It is a necessity.
