Sunburn rates increase by 9% in the middle of winter

A national study conducted by a collaboration of medical professionals and meteorologists found that Americans could be experiencing up to 9% more sunburns, which was reported in their paper as "moderately unusual." The study was performed by noting the increases in severe sunburns requiring medical attention and comparing these numbers with the predicted increase of overall sunburns from previous studies.

The results show that all regions in the country are affected. However, for more southern states, these increases appear to be much larger in comparison. California appears to have been hit the hardest, with a 9.8% increase in sunburns.

"It's nothing to be concerned about," says Dr. Shaula, one of the study's lead researchers. "There may be an increase in ... sunscreen sales, but really that just means more benefits for our economy."

A survey thanks to international partners suggests this is a global issue, meaning billions of people seem to be experiencing similar sunburn troubles.

Experts have not yet found a strong cause for the unexpected rise in sunburns. For now, it's highly recommended to start applying more sunscreen of at least SPF 30 in order to protect yourself, regardless of the weather on any given day.