Why You Should Still Wear Sunscreen in Winter

Giants Ridge is a winter wonderland with world-class skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snow tubing, fat biking, and more in MN. Our Nordic ski trail system has served as the training grounds for U.S. Ski Team athletes. We also were recognized by Minnesota’s Best in 2022 as Minnesota’s Gold Best for ski hills and Minnesota’s Silver Best for ski resorts. Before you head out to your winter adventure at Giants Ridge, keep reading to learn why you should wear sunscreen even during the winter. 

The Healing Benefits of Spending Time in the Sun

Spending time in nature is important for our mental and physical well-being. Sunlight has many healing benefits, such as being an excellent source of vitamin D, reducing blood pressure, improving sleep quality, combating seasonal depression, and so much more. Spending time in nature also provides benefits such as promoting cognitive development in children, reducing stress, improving focus, sharpening your mind, and so many other benefits! 

3 Reasons You Should Wear Sunscreen Even During the Winter

1. You should wear sunscreen in the winter because the sun’s UV rays are always there, rain, shine, or snow. The two main UV rays you need to be aware of are UVA and UVB. About 95% of UV radiation that reaches the Earth comes from UVA rays that can reach your skin’s dermis, which is the middle layer of your skin. UVB rays are usually the culprits behind skin burns, but they can only reach your skin’s epidermis, the outer layer. Wearing broad-spectrum sunscreen, though, protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays!
2. The most serious reason you should wear sunscreen even during the winter is that UV rays can cause skin cancer. Make sure you lather on sunscreen because most skin cancers are caused by too much unprotected exposure to UV rays. 
3. Preventing premature skin aging is another one of the important reasons you should wear sunscreen even during the winter. When you don’t protect your skin with broad-spectrum sunscreen, the UV rays cause DNA changes on a cellular level. Because this damage is done in the dermis level of your skin, it might not be visible for years after the damage occurred. 

What Type of Sunscreen You Should Wear During the Winter

Luckily, you can still enjoy all the healing benefits of the sun while protecting against potential harm. According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the sunscreen you should wear while enjoying the winter activities at Giants Ridge should be at least SPF 30, broadspectrum, and water resistant. Consumer Reports is a great shopping guide for high-quality sunscreen. You can also read this article by Glamour to find face sunscreens that feel and look nice on your skin.