Washington, DC, is known for its hot, muggy summers, but its frigid winters are nothing to sneeze at either. Amid the ice, snow, and freezing rain, protecting your skin from sun damage is probably the last thing on your mind.
But despite the cold temperatures, the sun is still producing UV rays — and your skin is still absorbing them. Over the course of a lifetime, roughly 20% of Americans develop skin cancer, due to years of sun exposure during the winter as well as the summer.
At Metroderm DC: Medical, Laser, and Aesthetic Dermatology Center, our team of Adrianna Gonzalez, MD, FAAD, Todd Perkins, MD, and Edward Stolar, MD, have extensive experience treating skin cancer, in addition to performing screenings aimed at identifying cancer early.
In this post, they offer a few simple tips to help you reduce your risk of skin cancer this winter.
Most people know wearing sunscreen is crucial during the hot months of the year, but what you may not know is that using sunscreen is something you should do all year — even in the cold months of a Washington winter.
That’s true on gray days, too, when UV rays can penetrate even the thickest cloud cover. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of 30 or higher to get the most powerful benefits.
In addition to choosing the right sun protection factor (SPF), you should reapply sunscreen every couple of hours — more frequently if you’re perspiring a lot.
Apply sunscreen to your ears, lips, hands, and any other exposed areas. Use a lip balm that contains SPF, and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
Sunscreen is one way to protect your skin, but wearing protective clothing is important, too. If you participate in winter sports, look for clothing designed to protect your skin. Wear a hat and gloves to keep UV rays off your skin and protect your skin from overdrying.
Snow and ice are highly reflective. In fact, snow can reflect as much as 90% of the sun’s UV rays, which means your skin experiences even more exposure — from the sun itself and from the reflected rays from snow and ice.
If you’re in a snowy or icy environment, take extra care to apply sunscreen thoroughly, and wear clothing and accessories that protect all your skin — and your eyes, too.
Winter air is dry, which means your skin is more prone to cracking and flaking. UV damage is cumulative, and as you get older, all that sun exposure can take a toll on skin that’s lacking moisture.
Apply a thick moisturizer every day, especially after showering, to maintain your skin’s natural protective barrier. Drink lots of water throughout the day to hydrate your skin from the inside.
It might be tempting to schedule a few tanning sessions to bring back the glory days of summer, but tanning beds are just as damaging as natural sunlight. If you must tan, look for a spray-on self-tanning product instead.
Check your skin regularly for unusual changes, including patchy, weepy, or flaky areas, new moles, or changes in existing moles. If you spot anything unusual, call the office right away to schedule an evaluation.
Skin cancer screenings are designed to identify the earliest signs of skin cancer. Ideally, you should schedule a screening every year so we can evaluate your skin and provide you with tips on what you can do to reduce your skin cancer risks.
The new year is a good time to book a skin cancer screening. To schedule yours, call 202-659-2223 or request an appointment online with our team at Metroderm DC in Washington, DC, today.
