Sunscreen is not enough: How to properly protect yourself from UV rays

Every year, as the weather gets warmer, the realization suddenly strikes me like the first ray of sunshine after a rainy winter: I have to apply sunscreen if I don’t want to get sunburned! But since when, in fact? Does this also apply if my skin has always tanned too quickly in the past? Are there ingredients in sunscreen that I should avoid? Because I ask myself these and other questions every year, I have now answered them in an article.

Because the truth is that proper sun protection is becoming more and more important. Climate change is also leading to more extreme summer temperatures in Germany – and to more days of exposure to stronger UV rays. This is due to the following reasons, among others:

• complex interactions: Ozone-depleting greenhouse gases interact with the stratospheric ozone layer.
• Climate change leads to more low ozone events: These tiny air masses that deplete the ozone layer lead to surprisingly and unexpectedly high levels of UV radiation. Mostly already between the end of March and the beginning of April.
• Climate change has changed the cloud situation in Germany: As a result, the annual number of hours of sunshine on average increases. More sunlight means more time for UV rays to reach the Earth’s surface.
• A changing climate affects our behavior: If it is warmer, we spend more time outdoors and therefore receive more UV rays.

Sun creams are important to protect yourself from UV rays, but they are by no means sufficient. In this article you will find out what really helps and what you should pay attention to.