Why You Should Apply Sunscreen To Your Eyelids, According To Experts

We all know we’re supposed to wear sunscreen every day to protect the health and appearance of the skin.

But that doesn’t mean everyone does it ― and even for those of us who try, we tend to overlook certain areas of the skin. One key spot that people often miss is the eyelid area.

“I have seen some of the worst skin cancers in the eyelid area,” Dr. Karan Lal of Schweiger Dermatology Group in Hillsborough, New Jersey, told HuffPost. “Skin cancer surgery in this area is complicated and can cause significant scarring which can cause chronic dry eyes. I have seen people lose their whole lower and upper eyelid skin from skin cancer.”

Applying sunscreen to the eyelids may feel counterintuitive. All our lives, we’ve been conditioned by labels that warn us to avoid applying anything near the eye area, and it has clearly stuck with many of us.

“Because the skin in this area is delicate, people may sometimes be wary of applying sunscreen to this area, or they may hold off because they think it will run into their eyes,” said New York City dermatologist Dr. Hadley King. “Or they may hold off because sunscreen they’ve used in the past in this area irritated their skin or messed up their eye makeup.”

Still, when it comes to sun protection, you definitely want to make sure you’ve got your eyelids covered. And there are ways to do this without experiencing irritation and discomfort. Below, experts break down the function of sunscreen on the eyelids and offer their advice for choosing the right product and applying it for maximum protection.

“It’s important to apply sunscreen to all areas of skin exposed to UV radiation, and this includes the eyelids,” King said. “We frequently see sun-related skin cancers in the eye area, and in some cases, skin cancers in the eye area can be more difficult to treat and more aggressive.”

Dr. Papri Sarkar, a dermatologist in Newton, Massachusetts, emphasized that the eyelid is an especially unpleasant spot to need surgery on for skin cancer.

“There are a few places that are really not fun to have skin cancer surgery, and the area around the eye is definitely one of them,” she said. “Using sunscreen here prevents that.”

Cancer protection aside, applying sunscreen to the delicate eyelid skin also makes a difference from a cosmetic standpoint.

“The eyelids are prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from rubbing and scratching because the skin in this area is so thin,” Lal said. “Because eyelid skin is so thin, it is extremely susceptible to sun damage. This can result in droopy and crepey eyelid skin. Using sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing early-onset droopy eyelid skin.”

In addition to decreasing the formation of wrinkles on thin, sensitive eyelid skin, sunscreen can also help prevent dark circles from forming around the eyes.

“Sometimes, it’s due to volume loss or vessels under the skin and sometimes it’s due to an actual darkening of the skin in that area,” Sarkar said. “Using sunscreen around the eyes can help to prevent new or further pigmentation or darkening of the skin there.”