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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Think you need to wear sunscreen only in the summer?

Think again.

Sunburns can happen just as easily in the winter, said Tatiana Oberyszyn, a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

“People tend to forget about the sun in the winter, but it can still be very damaging to any exposed skin on the face, ears, lips, scalp and hands,” said Oberyszyn, an assistant professor in the department of pathology at Ohio State who studies skin cancer.

“Skiers and other people who spend a lot of time outside in the winter should be cautious, because the sun can cause serious burns that could later lead to skin cancer.”

Only about 2 percent of Americans wear sunscreen in the winter, despite the fact that snow – just like sand, water and concrete in the summer – can reflect as much as 90 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, Oberyszyn said. UV radiation is the main cause of skin cancer. More than 1 million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Oberyszyn recommends using a daily moisturizer that also has a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and applying it liberally. Dry, flaky skin can be damaged more easily than moist, supple skin, she said.

Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours, or more frequently if sweating. In addition, avoid unnecessary exposure during the sun’s peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., she said.

Higher elevations can increase the risk of sunburns because the sun’s UV radiation increases as elevation increases, according to the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. Research has shown that for every 1,000 feet above sea level, the sun’s UV radiation increases about 5 percent, Oberyszyn said.

“It’s equally important for everyone to wear sunscreen during the winter as during the summer,” Oberyszyn said. “Even on cloudy days, the sun’s rays can still cause a significant amount of damage to your skin. So no matter whether you’re hurtling down a mountain skiing or building a snowman in your back yard, be sure to wear sunscreen.”

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center is a network of interdisciplinary research programs with more than 200 investigators in 13 colleges across the OSU campus, the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and Children’s Hospital, in Columbus. OSUCCC members conduct research on the prevention, detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, generating more than $100 million annually in external funding.

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