You probably heard it ad nauseum as a kid.

“Put on your sunscreen!” your mom would yell after you as you dashed away from the sand and into the water.

It was good advice then, and it’s good advice now.

But for many adults, the thought of wearing sunscreen on a daily basis seems excessive. Silly, even.

There are very real benefits to wearing sunscreen regularly, though. So let’s dive in!

1. It Prevents Sunburn

You go to the beach for a day in the sand and sun but you come home with a red, painful sunburn on your face, shoulders, torso, and legs.

The sunburn not only looks terrible and hurts with every move, but it can also cause irreversible damage to your skin.

Sunscreen of at least 30 SPF should be applied to your exposed skin every time you are exposed to UVB rays, which can happen even on cloudy days. The sunscreen should be reapplied every 90 minutes to 2 hours, or even more often if you’re swimming or sweating.

This will not only help to prevent the pain and inconvenience of a sunburn, but it can also protect you against diseases – like cancer – in the future.

2. It Reduces Your Risk of Cancer

The big “C.” It’s a risk we all face in our lives, but there are steps we can take to reduce our odds of getting cancer.

This is particularly true of skin cancer which is the most preventable type of cancer in the United States.

There are plenty of precautions to take, such as covering your skin when exposed to direct sunlight and staying in the shade. However, when exposure is inevitable, sunscreen is the best preventative measure you can take.

Sunscreen should be applied daily. Yes, even in the wintertime and even when you’ll be indoors most of the day. That’s because UV rays can pass through windowpanes.

So always have a non-comedegenic sunscreen on hand and apply to your face and any other exposed skin as directed.

3. It Fights Premature Aging

We all age. It’s a natural process.

There are things we encounter in our day-to-day lives that may age us prematurely, though.

Premature aging is a process whereas the cells age faster than the average. This is usually due to damage of some sort that has disrupted the cell’s processes.

Sun damage is one such kind of damage that disrupts the cells and hastens aging.

When you get sunburn, it goes deeper than the surface of the skin. In fact, it can go so far as to the hyperdermis – the third and final layer of the skin – if it’s bad enough. If it happens once or twice, the skin can often repair. But repeated sunburns, even minor, can lead to permanent damage to the skin.

Sunscreen severely limits the amount of UVB rays that can penetrate the skin. When applied regularly, this is enough to stave off damage.

4. It Decreases Skin Imperfections

If you’re not worried about your health, maybe you’re worried about your appearance.

If that’s the case, then this benefit is for you.

Sun damage doesn’t happen overnight. There are signs that become apparent over time as your unprotected skin is exposed to the sunlight. These signs include:

• Wrinkles
• Redness
• Patchiness
• Spider veins
• Rough texture

If you have yet to see signs of sun damage, then be sure not to take any further risks. Begin to protect your skin with sunscreen and physical coverage (e.g., hats, clothing) now.

If you’re already showing signs of sun damage, it’s never too late to begin protecting your skin.