Sun protection is
really all about limiting your exposure to UV rays in order to minimize your
chance of sunburn, skin cancer, and eye damage. How you choose to protect
yourself will depend on the activity you are doing, you're personal
preferences, and UV levels at the time, but here are the basic four options:
1) Staying in the Shade
Staying in the shade
is the best Sun protection you can get and sometimes it's the smartest option
when UV levels are extreme. Keep in mind though that whilst shade reduces UV by
more than 50%, it does not give total protection. If you are in the shade but
close to a reflective surface, such as a swimming pool or white plastic outdoor
table, you may still be exposed to UV rays that bounce off these surfaces. As a
general rule of thumb, anything that causes a glare in the Sun (e.g. snow,
water, white surfaces) has the potential to increase your UV exposure by
reflecting and scattering radiation from any direction - including beneath you.
Parasols, Umbrellas,
and Beach Tents These are all about providing shade. There is still the risk
from UV reflected off other surrounding surfaces, like water for example, so
keep this in mind if you are beside a pool.
2) Cover up with UV
Protective Clothing & Swimwear
UV protective clothing, hats, and swimwear is a good way to
protect your skin and, unlike sun lotions, it doesn't wear off or need to be
re-applied. Certain fabrics, colors and styles are better at blocking UV
radiation than others. UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) is the amount of sun
blocked by fabric.
Loose-fitting designs
tends to give better protection against UV. Long sleeved tops help to protect your arms.
Close-woven fabrics
give the best UV protection. Less UV passes through tightly woven or knitted
fabrics. Cotton and linen fabrics provide good protection. Heavier weight
fabrics usually block more UV radiation than lighter fabrics of the same type. Darker colours
give more protection from UV.
Hats are very
important in proper Sun protection as the face, neck and ears are common sites
for skin cancer. Hats can provide excellent protection for your face, eyes,
nose, lips, ears, neck, and even shoulders if the hat creates enough shade. The
type of hat you choose will determine the level Arm
protectors fit snuggly around the arm from the hand up to the bicep area and
stop uv damage.
3) Wearing UV Protective
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a
great fashion accessory, they are also an easy way to prevent cataracts, eye
cancer, and snow blindness. Some sunglasses offer better UV protection than
others depending on the materials used, their shape, and fit. Because snow,
water and higher altitude can dramatically increase UV strength and exposure,
good quality well fitting UV-protective eye wear are especially essential if
you are skiing, hiking, sailing, fishing or doing anything near water, snow or
at higher altitudes.
Large, wrap-around
style frames may provide more efficient UV protection because they cover the
entire eye-socket and block UV rays from sneaking in from the side or from
below when reflected off of surfaces such as water or snow. This is especially
important when doing activities around or on water or snow because UV is
reflected from all directions off of the these surfaces.
Always check the
sunglasses label to make sure they protect against UV-A and UV-B. The closer to
100% protection a pair of sunglasses provide, the safer your eyes will be from
damage.
4)
Using Broad Spectrum
Sunscreen
If you plan to be in
the Sun then a good quality sunscreen should give you the protection you need.
Sunscreen products come in all different formulations, but in terms of UV
protection all you need to know is how well a product will block UVA AND UVB
radiation. When a product blocks both UVA and UVB it is referred to as having
'broad spectrum' protection. Products marked only with an SPF value are only
telling you how much UVB they block, and may leave you fully at risk of UVA
exposure.