Our skin is constantly exposed to the harsh elements whenever we step outside our home. Add to this the fact that we absorb the UV rays coming from the sun and we end up with skin looking older than our years. This is quite frustrating especially when we end up with wrinkles, lines, and even dark spots or age spots because we haven’t really protected our skin at all. This is why applying sunscreen comes highly recommended, particularly those with high SPF, when you need to go outside.

But are you applying sunscreen correctly?

It appears that most of us apply sunscreen on our arms and legs only and are completely forgetting several areas. So which places do we normally forget to protect? Here are six that you should know of.

Ears

Who is guilty of forgetting to apply sunscreen on their ears? Well, it seems that there are several of us who forget that our ears need a little bit of love and care from us especially when it comes to protecting them against the harsh rays of the sun. You see, your ears are exposed to the same heat and UV rays that are being emanated from the sun thus skin cancers can appear on this area since we keep forgetting that they too need protecting. You will need to be patient when it comes to applying sunscreen on your ears because you need to cover everything.

Lips

Another area that we often forget when it comes to sunscreen protection is our lips. Our lips don’t have enough melanin in them hence they are prone to getting damaged from the sun. Applying lip gloss doesn’t count because it offers little to no protection from the sun. What’s more, wearing lip gloss is actually inviting more UV rays to damage your skin. A better option is to look for lip balm that comes with sunscreen protection so that, aside from keeping your lips moist, it will be protected from the sun.

Lower eyelids

We seldom think about the area around our eyes when it comes to wearing sunscreen but we really do need to put extra effort to remember this since the skin around our eyes are thinner compared to the rest of our body. From the lower eyelids, to the corners of the eyes, make sure that you apply sunscreen on them too to help prevent the appearance of wrinkles and lines.

Back of your hands

Don’t forget to give your hands protection too against the harsh rays of the sun. Keep in mind that they are often exposed to the sun when we are outdoors so make sure that you don’t forget about them. After you’ve applied sunscreen on your body, spare a few minutes to apply sunscreen on your hands just like you would with hand lotion. This will keep your hands soft, smooth, and wrinkle free too.

Neck

When applying sunscreen, do you remember putting some on your neck? I thought so. Our neck is yet another body part that we forget to apply sunscreen on as we are too busy plying our shoulders, arms, and legs with sunscreen protection. Even when applying moisturizer, we often apply only until our jawline. Make sure that you spend time applying sunscreen on your neck too as this part also gets exposed to the sun.

Scalp

Stepping outside your home, under the hot sun, can actually burn your scalp when you are not wearing any protection such as a hat. The only time that we remember about our head is when our scalp starts to itch because of dryness. Applying sunscreen or hair products containing sunscreen protection is highly recommended especially when you want to prevent hair and scalp damage.