The sale of sunscreen creams and lotions has increased amid awareness among people about the harmful UV exposure over the years.
A report by Statista suggests that sunscreen is the fastest growing category in skincare. There are trends in sunscreen lotions with increasing sun protection factors(SPF) up to 100. The global sunscreen cream market size amounted to about US $ 8.5 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach over US $ 10.7 billion by 2024.
Akhila R, a dermatologist said, “People have become aware about the harm UV rays cause to their skin. We suggest our patients apply sunscreen everyday religiously and some people I know have been following the advice for the last few years.”
National Centre for Environmental Health defines UV radiation as a form of non-ionizing radiation that is emitted by the sun. UV radiation is classified into three categories- Ultraviolet A (UV A), Ultraviolet B (UV B) And Ultraviolet C (UV C). These groups are based on their wavelengths, which is measured in nanometres. All of the UVC and most of the UVB radiations are absorbed by the Earth’s Ozone layer, so the UV radiation received on Earth is UVA. UVA and UVB radiation can both affect health. Even though UVA radiation is weaker than UVB, it penetrates deeper in the skin and is more constant throughout the year.
Exposure to UV rays can cause several skin issues including premature aging and skin cancer. Pallavi, a dermatologist at Skinclan said, “There is a need to apply sunscreen even when staying indoors. We have advised our patients to apply sunscreen thrice in a day even during lockdowns.”
Saumya Sumu, an eczema patient said, “I have very sensitive skin. I apply sunscreen every day in an appropriate amount. I have been advised by my dermatologist to reapply every two hours.”
Aditi Rai, another patient said, “I have PCOD and I get very severe breakouts. I skip skincare when I get painful cysts but i still apply sunscreen to protect my skin.”
Basilraj P, a climate change researcher in Arabesque, a global asset managing firm said “Kyoto protocol has been a major part in tearing down the ozone layer and thus UV radiations have been really high due to industrialization and high population density and lot of other reasons too.”
