Throughout this school year, UC Santa Barbara students have experienced numerous rainy days, some of which were intense downpours that took the campus by storm (no pun intended). As students prone to California’s sunny weather trying to brave the campus in drenched clothes and wet hair, applying sunscreen is probably the last thing on our minds. 

Why would we need sunscreen in the rain, when there is literally no sun to be found?

A common, although understandable, misconception about sunscreen is that it only needs to be applied on days when the sun is shining. However, sunscreen should be worn all day, every day, no matter the conditions. Rain or sunshine, sunscreen should be applied. 

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States, with about 40-50% of Americans getting diagnosed with skin cancer at some point in their lives. Skin cancer is usually caused by the sun as UV radiation changes the DNA in the skin cells, leading to the development of cancer cells. DNA gives the cells certain instructions, telling them when to grow and when to die. However, the warped DNA in cancer cells instructs them to grow and grow, overtaking healthy cells and potentially spreading to other parts of the body. 

Too much UV exposure also causes premature aging of the skin, called photoaging. Unlike normal skin aging, photoaging occurs from high amounts of UV exposure and can manifest on the skin as early as your teenage years. UV rays damage the epidermis, which is the skin’s outermost layer, as well as the dermis layer (the layer below the epidermis) which produces collagen and elastin to preserve the skin’s elasticity and youthful appearance. Some signs of photoaging are wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and redness. Scientists have found that 90% of skin changes can be attributed to the accumulation of UV exposure throughout our lifetime.

In 2012, a picture was published in The New England Journal of Medicine of a truck driver’s face which acquired extreme sun damage after 28 years on the road. The image displayed the difference between the right side of his face and the left side of his face. The left side, which had direct exposure to the sun from the driver’s side window, was significantly more aged with prominent wrinkles and red spots. 

Wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent photoaging and protect yourself from skin cancer as it will shield your skin from UV rays. Sunscreen contains SPF, which is a measure of how much protection it will give your skin. Dermatologists say sunscreen with SPF 30 or more as well as broad-spectrum SPFs give the best protection. The sun emits two types of UV rays: UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays cause sunburns while UVA rays promote skin aging and tanning; both, however, cause some sort of skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer. SPF is only a measure of protection against UVB rays while broad-spectrum sunscreens also provide protection against UVA rays. 

Sunscreen should be worn no matter the weather, even when it’s cloudy or rainy as over 80% of UV rays can penetrate cloud cover and create damage to the skin. 

As you’re preparing for the rainy weather (especially this week), along with your raincoat and umbrella, sunscreen should be a part of your rain survival kit.

A version of this article appeared on p.9 of the February 19, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.