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For most of us, travelling by car is just another part of life. Whether you are stuck with a long morning commute to work, enjoy a weekend getaway or are a busy mum juggling sports commitments and school runs – it is likely that you spend time on the road.
Have you ever considered the damage the sun may be doing to your skin when you are getting from A to B? It is a common myth that you are safe behind a window, but when photos of a truck driver who had been on the road for 28 years emerged it depicted a significant difference between the two sides of his face.
The area of skin on the driver’s side, showed more sun damage with deep wrinkles and thicker, sagging skin while the unexposed area appeared years younger.
While glass does reduce the amount of UV radiation you will be exposed to, it doesn’t completely eliminate it. On hot days or when the UV levels are up, you can still get burnt through a car window which could potentially lead to skin cancer. At the very least, this type of sun exposure could contribute to premature ageing, wrinkles and sunspots. Being sun safe in the car might not be something you think about, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important. Here are our top tips for staying sun safe while driving:
Sunscreen is one of the best ways to protect your skin from sun damage, with an SPF30 product being able to filter 96.7% of UVB rays, while an SPF50 will filter 98%. Before your next journey make sure you slop on the sunscreen, and be generous with your application while reusing every two hours. The SunSmart calculator is a clever tool which determines the right amount of sunscreen based on your gender, height, weight and clothing choices.
When the windows are down, or the sunroof is off, it may feel refreshing to have the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Even though you can still experience sun damage through the window, having no window will be worse. If you can’t forgo the arm on the window ledge, try to wear long sleeves. But, who really wants to arrive with messy air hair anyway?
Automotive films have a range of benefits. In addition to keeping the temperature of your car much lower, you could potentially be gaining protection comparable to an SPF 285! Additional privacy paired with a reduction in glare will ensure a more comfortable ride, with sun safety in mind.
If you have a little one in the back seat, and don’t have tinted windows or window film, they will need a quality sunshade on their window to shield their delicate skin from the sun.
You should be protecting your eyes from the sun, as well as your skin. Choosing the right sunglasses means looking for a design which is suitable for driving, while still having a high eye protection factor.
In addition to minimising the risk of temporary or permanent damage to your eye area, sunglasses can slow down the formation of those crow’s feet!
My Skin Centre is the leading skin and mole check clinic in WA. Please contact us at one of our 9 convenient locations to make an appointment.
With multiple locations throughout Perth and the South West there is a clinic near you!