Keep Your Skin Sun-Safe in Winter

Lexi Novak, Allure magazine

Just because you retire your Havaianas and bikini when the temperature drops doesn't mean you should shelve the sunscreen, too. The sun emits harmful UV rays all year, whether it's 90 degrees outside or 19. Now I'm going to step down from my soapbox and make a confession: Even though I'm neurotic about sun protection in the summer, I do get a bit lax (OK, completely negligent) in winter. So I spoke with Debra Jaliman, a New York City dermatologist and author of Skin Rules (St. Martin's Press), about why SPF is still important during colder months.

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Why is sun protection necessary throughout the winter?
"First of all, sun damage is cumulative, so every day of your life, even if you're out for ten minutes, you're getting sun damage. Every morning, first thing, I walk my dog for literally three to five minutes. I wear sunscreen every day, but to walk my dog I didn't do it, and I was getting brown spots. So just five minutes every day does add up."

But I don't really go out much when it's cold.
"Everybody always says to me, 'I'm never outside,' but it's not true. You have to be outside sometimes, even if you take the bus to work or you take the subway. People go out to get lunch or sit by a window, and UVA rays do go through glass, so you're still going to get sun damage."

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Do we need to wear different sunscreen in the winter?
"My motto is SPF 30 every day, but I do think that you can wear a thinner, lighter consistency right now. You don't need sweatproof or waterproof when you're going to work. You can certainly use a face lotion with sunscreen, but I wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, because you don't want to get skin cancer, broken blood vessels, or wrinkles. And physical sunscreens have zinc oxide, so they're very soothing if you're prone to eczema, rosacea, or redness."

What are some products that you recommend?
"My favorite is EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46. I'm acne-prone, but I've never seen anybody break out with that one. Neutrogena also makes a great one [Neutrogena Clear Face Break-Out Free Liquid-Lotion Sunscreen]. It's very thin and inexpensive, and it doesn't cause breakouts. I just hate sunscreens that you get those little bumps or acne from, because people don't want to have a new problem from using sunscreen."

What about makeup with SPF?
"I've seen burns when people try to use their makeup as a sunscreen. Makeup isn't substantive enough. But I'll tell you a good trick: A lot of my patients like a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen because they like the color and texture, and there's moisture in it. Bobbi Brown makes one [try Bobbi Brown BB Cream] and EltaMD makes one that's waterproof [EltaMD Skincare UV Physical SPF 41]."

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