Wear That Sunscreen!
- Rihanna responded to a fan’s comment insinuating that we don’t need to wear sunscreen during the winter.
- The Fenty beauty founder used to not wear sunscreen, but after her skin started changing pigmentation, she realized how important it was to protect her skin.
- Sunscreen is the best tool in preventing skin cancer, and experts talk to SurvivorNet about how to choose the right sunscreen and how often to apply it.
Rihanna, 32, shared a glamorous photo of her posing with a bucket hat on her head and sunscreen covering her face. Along with the photo, she wrote a caption saying she is trying to protect her skin. Rihanna’s comment prompted a fan to note that “it’s Winter,” insinuating that wearing sunscreen wasn’t necessary. Well, never to be schooled on skincare, Rihanna responded to the fan’s comment with a quick beauty lesson.
Read Morehttps://www.instagram.com/p/CFp-pW-nCvx/?utm_source=ig_embed
This isn’t the first time Rihanna has spoken out on the importance of sunscreen. Growing up in Barbados, Rihanna says she always saw sunscreen as a “tourist thing” and never wore it herself. However, after not protecting her skin for years, she started noticing her skin was changing in pigmentation. This made her realize SPF is valuable for women of all skin tones.
"Growing up on an island, you're exposed to the sun every day. So you always thought that SPF was a tourist thing, and especially not for Black people," Rihanna told Yahoo Entertainment. "I have learned the hard way because over time the sun wasn't that kind to my skin and my skin was not that resilient. So I started to have hyperpigmentation in certain areas. Whether it's hot or a gray, winter cold day, those UV rays are always out. I think the biggest misconception with SPF, in particular, is that Black people don't need it. And as a woman of color, I am here to say that's a lie. We need it and we need it every day.”
Rihanna is right-on with her comments about preventing wrinkles and pigmentation, but she’s missing one other very important point: cancer prevention. Sunscreen is the most helpful tool in preventing a possible skin cancer diagnosis, and like Rihanna said, it’s important to wear it all year-round.
Dr. Cecilia Larocca explains how to choose the right sunscreen, and why wear it every day
Sunscreen & Cancer Prevention
Numerous experts have said time and time again that wearing sunscreen is the best way to prevent a possible skin cancer diagnosis and protect yourself from harmful run rays. A lot of people assume that these rays are only dangerous during the summer, but the sun is out all-year-round and SPF needs to be applied during the cold months too.
“The reality is, we can get sun damage at any time throughout the year, even in the cold wintry months,” Dr. Dendy Engelman, a board certified dermatologic surgeon, tells SurvivorNet. “If we’re unprotected for even 15 minutes a day, if we think about the cumulative effects that has on our skin over a lifetime, it’s very real.”
An expert recommends people use sunscreen that’s no less than SPF 30, and it should be reapplied every two hours. Making sure to cover every part of the body exposed to sun is key, and people should look for products that can protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.
Dr. Dendy Engelman explains why you need to apply sunscreen in the winter
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
