Things I realized after my skin went to ruin from not wearing sunscreen

In my early twenties, sunscreen was just one of those things I found bothersome. It was a hassle to have an extra step before applying makeup, I disliked the white cast it left, and I didn't like the greasy feeling either. So, there were many days when I would just skip it if I felt too lazy to apply it when going out.

But after a few years, dark spots started slowly appearing on my cheekbones. At first, I thought my skin tone had just gotten dull, but as time went on, I could feel the pigmentation getting darker. I went to a dermatologist and was told that the main cause was accumulated UV rays. Hearing that UV rays accumulate on the skin even on cloudy days made me realize just how defenseless I had been all this time.

Since then, my sunscreen routine has completely changed. I apply it without fail, even on days I don't go out or on cloudy days. Switching to a non-whitening product also helped. I realized, albeit belatedly, that I need to be comfortable to apply to be able to use it consistently. These days, even reapplying it once in the morning has become a habit.

It was only after experiencing it firsthand that I realized how many times harder it is to get rid of pigmentation once it sets in compared to when it appears. It is really true that you should start taking care of sunscreen from a young age. Start using it right now before you regret it later.