To Sun or Not to Sun: Sunscreen or Cover Up? (Part II)
Last week in To Sun or Not to Sun, Part I, we discussed how brief daily sun exposure supports blood pressure through nitric oxide release and vitamin D production. We also looked at why regular exposure, tailored safely to your skin type, can build tolerance and lower melanoma risk compared to a pattern of infrequent burns.
We touched on a few other points worth revisiting. As we age, our skin makes less vitamin D per minute of sun exposure, thanks to a drop in a key precursor molecule. But that’s only half the story. The other half is that aging skin becomes more susceptible and less tolerant of the sun’s effects over time.
So once you’ve had enough sun, what’s the best way to protect your skin?
Should you reach for sunscreen or cover up?
Why Older Skin Responds to the Sun Differently Than Younger Skin
Skin cancer risk goes up with age for a few compounding reasons:
Skin thins and loses collagen, meaning there’s less structural buffer between UV rays and living cells.
DNA repair slows down, meaning damage that occurs gets cleared less efficiently.
Local immune surveillance in the skin declines, meaning skin cancer risk rises with age.
This isn’t about obvious damage like a sunburn. Age-related sun damage doesn’t require a spot or a wrinkle. It can exist without any harbingers.
That’s why last week’s guidance was specific to your skin tone, ranging from about 10 minutes to an hour with your arms and legs exposed (while protecting your face with sunscreen and a hat), stopping before your skin turns pink or watching the clock for safe exposure time based on your skin tone.
These ranges capture the benefits while staying under the threshold where older skin’s increased susceptibility starts to cost you.
Sun Damage Isn’t Always Visible
Brown age spots are the visible result of decades of the invisible toll of the sun.
Chronic UV exposure over many years, combined with aging skin’s slower repair systems, can cause pigment-producing cells to malfunction and cluster instead of distributing evenly.
Of course, not every brown spot is simply an age spot. A spot that appears suddenly or changes quickly deserves a visit to your dermatologist. Don’t assume it’s “just an age spot”.
Why Covering Up Often Wins
Once you’ve had enough sun, covering up is often your best next step.
A 2024 study found UPF clothing outperformed sunscreen across the board, blocking over 99% of UVB compared to sunscreen’s 76 to 94%, with similarly wider margins for UVA. Clothing doesn’t wear off with sweat or time, and it doesn’t need reapplying.
In other words, once you’ve received the amount of sun your skin can safely tolerate, a lightweight UPF shirt, a wide-brimmed hat, or simply moving into the shade often provides more reliable protection than sunscreen alone.
Where Sunscreen Fits In
Sunscreen isn’t a simple conversation. Ingredients vary so much in both effectiveness and safety that it deserves its own discussion, which we’ll cover next week in To Sun or Not to Sun, Part III.
Suffice it to say, the United States is fairly lenient when it comes to toxicity in skincare and cosmetics. An effective sun-protective ingredient may come with a parade of toxic ones.
For now, stay away from oxybenzone and reach for mineral sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, especially for your face. Unlike many chemical sunscreen ingredients, these minerals remain primarily in the outer layer of the skin rather than being absorbed into the bloodstream.
The Bottom Line
A wide-brimmed hat blocks most direct sun to your face, but not all of it. UV rays also reflect upward off water, sand, pavement, and snow, reaching your chin and lower face from below the brim. A mineral sunscreen on your face helps close that gap.
Get the amount of sun your skin needs. Then cover up for the rest of the day or move into the shade until UV rays are lower again. Use mineral sunscreen where clothing and shade can’t fully protect you.
Your Move
Check the label on your sunscreen. If it contains oxybenzone, consider replacing it with a mineral sunscreen made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Dr. Krista’s Picks
If you’re looking for a mineral sunscreen, here are two options I like:
All Good SPF 30 Mineral Facial Sunscreen
A lightweight mineral sunscreen that’s a great option for daily facial use.
All Good SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Sunscreen
A mineral sunscreen with iron oxides for additional visible light protection. Just be aware that the tint may transfer to light-colored clothing.
Olive Says
I confine my sunning to earlier and later in the day when the rays are gentler.
Then I cover up and do my napping indoors. I don’t want this cute little nose to get sunburned.