The wind is blowing, leaves are falling, and there’s a chill in the air, yup feels like fall. This is my favorite time of year, the seasons are changing and before we know it, winter will be here! Time to put my summer attire away; tank tops, sandals, shorts, everything except for one thing, SUNSCREEN! Just because the seasons are changing doesn’t mean I should put that away too.
Many people believe that just because summer is over, sunscreen doesn’t need to be applied but I strongly disagree. The sun is actually closer to the earth during the winter and UV rays can be even be stronger on a cloudy day. Michelle Blacksberg, a Registered Nurse writes, “According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds…” and according to skincancer.org, one person dies of melanoma every hour. 
Most people don’t even know the difference between UVA and UVB rays and that’s okay, it’s hard to remember. UVA rays break down collagen, cause discoloration, and in some cases can lead to cancer. UVB rays aren’t usually as strong but cause sun burns. I would say the one thing to remember is that both can cause great damage.
With meteorologists predicting a wet winter, sunscreen consumers will probably be scarce but remember that just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you should skip the sunscreen! You might think to yourself, “Oh I’m not going out today so I don’t need to apply,” keep in mind that even while inside, UVA rays are still streaming through windows.
It takes a minute or so out of your day to apply or reapply. This MERE minute out of twenty-four hours can prevent sun burns, age spots, and even skin cancer. Sunscreens are pretty inexpensive these days so stop making excuses. Now go out and enjoy the season BUT don’t forget the sunscreen!

Angelica Pacheco is a Tower staff writer. Email her at apachecobeauty(at)yahoo.com.