A Sunburn In Winter? It’s Possible

For most of us, winter means putting away the swimsuits and pulling out the sweaters, hats and scarves. But just because the swimsuit goes in a drawer until next summer doesn’t mean the sunblock needs to go with it. In fact, we need the sunblock just as much during winter months as during summertime.

According to an article at Healthy RV Living the dangers of the sun's rays are the same year-round. The intensity of ultraviolet B (UVB) rays is less in the winter, but the ultraviolet A (UVA) rays are just as strong.

UVA rays don’t cause as many sunburns as UVB rays, but they do go deeper into the skin, paving the way for skin cancer. Experts recommend a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and look for at least one of these ingredients on the label: avobenzone, oxybenzone, mexoryl, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. It’s a good idea to apply sunblock at least 20 minutes before going outside, and reapply every two hours.