Daily sunscreen and skin ageing: what skipping days adds up to
Sunscreen is one of the few skin habits tested in a long trial. This counts the days your skin goes without it, at your pace.
Your numbers
Common answers are filled in. Change the ones you know.
Typical: 1 days. Put in yours.
It only changes the order on your statement.
What waiting costs you
313 days a year
About 157 days without it since you meant to start
That's 313 days a year. In a 4.5-year trial, people who used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing, and 24% less ageing than people who used it some of the time.
Your small stepPut it next to your toothbrush tonight, so it becomes part of your morning.
How we worked this out
- Days without it: (7 minus 1) × 52.18 weeks = 313 a year.
- Since you meant to start: 313 × 6 months ÷ 12 = 157 days.
- The trial followed 903 adults under 55 for 4.5 years.
- How much it matters to you: 7 out of 10. It only changes the order on your statement.
Sources
- Hughes, Williams, Baker & Green, Annals of Internal Medicine (2013): In a 4.5-year trial of 903 adults under 55, people who used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing, and 24% less ageing than people who used it some of the time.
How it works
We count the days a week you skip it, across a year, and since you meant to start.
In a 4.5-year trial of 903 adults under 55, people who used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing, and 24% less ageing than people who used it some of the time.
We don't name any product. The habit is what the research tested.
Sources
- Hughes, Williams, Baker & Green, Annals of Internal Medicine (2013): The trial was in sunny Australia and measured skin on the back of the hand.
Questions people ask
Which sunscreen should I use?
We don't recommend products. A dermatologist can tell you what suits your skin.
Do I need it indoors or on cloudy days?
The trial asked people to use it every morning, whatever the weather. Ask a dermatologist about your own routine.
Putting off more than one thing?
Pick up to five and get your Delay Statement: what to do first, what can wait, and one small step for today.
Want a nudge to act on it?
The app turns what you're putting off into a short list for each day: your Top 3 and one small step at a time. It's free.
We show what waiting costs on your own plans. We never tell you what to buy or invest in. Rules and averages change, so check the official pages before you plan anything.