By Hu Fan（胡凡）／Chen Pin-Hua（陳品樺）
Autumn is already here, and the most important thing is using sunscreen. Many people think during autumn and winter, we do not have to use sunscreen as frequently as we do during the summer, because the sun is not as scorch as in summer. Dr. Hsueh Wen-chi (薛文琦), a dermatologist with over ten years of experience, indicates that this is a wrong concept; people need to use sunscreen in any season, because the harmful ultraviolet rays are ubiquitous.
Many people underestimate how much damage ultraviolet rays can do to the skin: it might cause sunburn, early skin aging, and skin cancer. Moreover, the damage is irreversible. In order to prevent the above from happening, we have to put on sunscreen everyday even if we are in-door.
Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures sunscreen protection from UVB rays; it is a very important indicator when choosing a sunscreen. Dr. Hsueh said, “People should choose sunscreen that fit their needs.”
If you stay inside all day, you can put on sunscreen with less SPF. However, if you have to work outdoor, you should choose a sunscreen with an SPF no lower than 30. Besides, we can use a sunscreen with strong water resistance to achieve a higher level of protection. Using sunscreen once a day is not enough; under normal circumstances, we should put on sunscreen once every two hours. But if you stay outside for a longer period of time or perspire heavily, you must put on sunscreen more frequently to prevent skin from getting damaged. We can prevent our skin being damaged by not only using sunscreen, but also by wearing hats, sunglasses and protective clothing.
Other than applying sunscreen, dealing with irritations is also a crucial task. However, skin problems vary from person to person; to further understand or solve the problems, we have to find out our skin type first.
We have to understand different types of skin because of the discontinuity layer of lubrication. We normally have dry skin, normal skin and oily skin. The most common problem for dry skin is desquamation, and people who have oily skin may face breakouts due to their sebaceous glands secreting quickly. Last but not least, for normal skin, it is believed to be the healthiest one, with full elasticity and no skin discoloration.
After understanding which type of skin we have, the next step is to learn the correct way to moisturize our face in autumn. Dr. Hsueh said, “In autumn, people who have dry skin may have dry patches. To prevent that from occurring, we could put on moisturizer whenever we feel like our face is drying.” He also recommended that those who have both dry and sensitive skin should buy a moisturizer without a scent, as preservative ingredients could possibly make the skin even more irritated. Using products without those additives will make our skin more neutral and less stressful. In order to keep our face youthful and healthy, people can apply facial masks or use skin care products. Nevertheless, we have to be aware of the reaction of the skin – if the skin isn’t absorbing the products, then all of our money will be a waste.
In conclusion, the right sunscreen and the protection of clothing followed by an obtainable skin care routine are recommended during seasonal change. If these are done, healthy and glowing skin won’t be far away from you.
