The Importance of Sunscreen in Preventing Hyperpigmentation

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Hello everyone, and welcome to The Skin Report. We are going to talk about sunscreens that are safe and clinically backed for darker skin tones. Hi Shaheera, thank you for joining me again today.

Shaheera Bhutto:
Thank you for having me. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I am very lazy, especially about using sunscreen.

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Okay. I was going to say you’re very lazy, period. Okay.

Shaheera Bhutto:
But I’m very not unique in that sense that I feel like people generally, they feel like sunscreen is such, it’s like a chore for them. They could apply 20 skincare products and then when they get to the sunscreen, they’re like, “I can’t do this. This is too much.” But you have a great way of talking about sunscreen. So it actually makes it feel like, “Hey, it’s a natural part of your skincare routine.” At least you’ve taught me that and I have become less lazy about it. Why is sunscreen so important, especially important for skin with richer melanin or just darker skin tones?

Dr. Simran Sethi:
When sunscreen first came out decades ago, it was really directed towards reducing the chances of getting skin cancer. And a lot of people with darker skin tones then thought, “Oh, well, skin cancer is not prevalent in my skin tone, I’m not going to bother.” But sunscreen actually protects our collagen. It protects our skin from hyperpigmentation, uneven pigmentation. So it’s not that when you’re using sunscreen you’re preventing yourself from getting overall darker, you’re also preventing uneven pigmentation. If you had dark spots from acne from before, those dark spots are going to get darker compared to the rest of your skin if you don’t have good sun protection. So that’s why sun protection in darker skin tones is really important to make their skin tone more even, and of course, protect their collagen, which is true for any skin type.

Shaheera Bhutto:
And I think it’s a really great point because when people, when users start incorporating sunscreen as an actual skincare product or as nutrition for their skin to build their collagen, to prevent that hyperpigmentation versus what commonly people are searching for in the summer times is like a very surface level sunscreen. I feel like the sunscreen really should be introducing really important active ingredients into your skin in addition to being a good mineral sunscreen.

Dr. Simran Sethi:
We are so lucky we live in a day and age where there are so many options. So that’s excellent. You should find a sunscreen that looks good on you because then you’re likely going to wear it. But sunscreen also should have some important components to it. It should have UVA protection. So when you think of UVA rays, think of aging rays. A is for aging. UVB protection, B is for burn. So UVB protection keeps your epidermis safe where you produce more melanin. But the other thing that most sunscreens do not have is blue light protection, and blue light, clinical studies have shown that blue light actually causes uneven and hyperpigmentation in skin types for and greater, so darker skin tones.

So having blue light protection is actually very important. And our sky is blue because of blue light, and we have a lot of blue light indoors as well. So that means that you do need some protection when you’re indoors on your skin. And again, finding a sunscreen that has all of those things and feels nice on your skin and incorporates well in your skin tone, those are all equally important components because of course, then you’re likely going to use it.

Shaheera Bhutto:
And you’ve mentioned several times that blue light, actually, because we’re exposed to it I should have worn sunscreen today because I’m so exposed to bright lights right now. But blue light is something that we are so exposed to all the time from our devices, literally our phones, our laptops, everything we’re exposed to. And that causes hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones even. Is that even like-

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Yeah.

Shaheera Bhutto:
… They have a higher propensity?

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Yes, it causes hyperpigmentation in darker skin tones, but not in lighter skin tones. In lighter skin tones it just breaks down collagen. In darker skin tones it causes hyperpigmentation. So if you are thinking about, “Okay, do I need sunscreen every day?” The answer is yes for so many reasons. But then make sure your sunscreen has a right kind of protection for you. And then the second thing is if you’re sitting indoors, you’re still exposed to the window. There’s all this incident light that comes in. So I just think it’s always easier to not think about it, make it a routine, make it a part of your skincare routine no matter if you’re going on a hike or just staying at home that day.

Shaheera Bhutto:
And if someone has gone years without realizing that they need to wear sunscreen or just have forgotten.

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Yeah, is it too late for them?

Shaheera Bhutto:
Yeah. Is it too late? When can they begin and will they see improvements?

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Oh, absolutely. Our skin is a living organ and our skin cells, actually, our skin tissue is one of the few organs in our body that is continuously regenerating. We don’t regenerate so many other types of organ or types of tissue in our body. So yes. So if you have not used sunscreen for decades, if you start using it today, you will see an improvement in your skin. And actually over time, that improvement will be even more drastic. So it’s never too late to start using sunscreen, and it’s never too early to start using sunscreen either.

Shaheera Bhutto:
So we’ve talked about skin renewal, how sunscreen is really important for preventing hyperpigmentation and also why sunscreen is so important for a variety of skin tones, not just lighter skin and not just preventing skin cancer although that is the most important thing, let’s just be honest. I am very curious about your take on makeup containing sunscreen or UV HEV shields, and if they even do.

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Yeah. So that’s a great question because there are so many CC creams, BB creams around, and the all-in-one product that people who maybe don’t like to layer products gravitate towards. I think when it comes to sunscreen, that is not a good idea because if you think about a drop of makeup, in that drop of makeup, you have to put in the actual makeup product. You have to put in something to help it be more smoother and so forth. So you honestly don’t even have room for sun protection in that drop. So when you’re thinking about your sun protection, you really need its own layer. And that’s why again, look for a solution. Look for a product that smooths on nicely, incorporates into your skin tone, so that if you do want to wear makeup on top of that, you can, and it’s not going to affect how that makeup’s going to look.

Shaheera Bhutto:
Yeah, it acts like as a primer for your makeup.

Dr. Simran Sethi:
Exactly. And for example, I personally use my sunscreen, of course I do, but it’s tinted. And a lot of my patients tell me that that’s what they use. And that kind of acts like your little primer or your makeup for the day. A lot of men use our sunscreen and they love it because it doesn’t make them look different, it doesn’t make them look like they’re wearing sunscreen. It doesn’t make them look like they’re wearing makeup, obviously. So yes, but it has to be its own layer. Well, thank you everyone for listening today and remember to share, subscribe, and like. And if you have any episode topic recommendations, please make sure you leave it at the comments.