Sun Protection Clothing and Sun Protective Swimwear

New research from the Morehouse School of Medicine suggests that traditional cotton shirts do not adequately protect against solar UV radiation and skin cancer. In fact, most light colored, cotton shirts provide a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 7.

Dr Rex Amonette, past president of the American Academy of Dermatology, suggests that wearing a white T-shirt isn't good enough.

"A wet, light-colored shirt transmits almost as much light to a child as his or her bare skin."

A great solution for people of all ages: sun protective clothing and swimwear is an excellent solution for protecting children and infants from dangerous uv rays. Many doctors recommend avoiding the use of sunscreen on babies, while cotton baby clothing does not always provide adequate levels of sun protection.

In Australia, sun protection has become very important. There isn't much ozone left over that country, so it is easy to get sunburned. A few years ago, the cancer council started making sun protecion clothing for everyone especially kids, as kids skin gets burnd faster than adults skin.

The sun protection clothing looks like wetsuits and rash shirts used by surfers, but is all made out of lycra because lycra protects the skin from ultraviolet light better than anything else. Most kids on the beach these days wear sun protection clothing, which includes a hat, sunnies, sunsuit (short sleeve like a springsuit or longsleeve like a steamer) or rashie with swimmers or boardies or bike shorts, and even special beach shoes.

It is rare these days to see a kid wearing just swimmers (like speedos) or just boardies on the beach. When I was small, I would wear just speedos. But not anymore. Most teens think that sun protection clothing is ok, but most will wear a rashie and boardies rather than a sunsuit.

Most kids will wear there sun protection clothing even when they are not swimming outdoors, like in an indoor swimming centre. Some kids also wear their sunsuits as casual clothing in the summertime (like at the shopping mall), sometimes with a shirt over the top, and a pair of sneakers or beach sandals on their feet.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, more than 1 million people will be diagnosed with cases of skin cancer this year in the United States. Applying sunscreen and limiting your sun exposure can reduce your risk for skin cancer. So can wearing sun-protective clothing.

It's important to understand the labeling information on sun protection products and shop carefully before heading to the beach, tennis court or park.

Sun-protective fabrics differ from typical summer fabrics in several ways. Sun-protective fabrics typically have a tighter weave or knit and usually are darker in color. Garments made with these fabrics may have a label listing the garment's Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) value, that is, the level of protection the garment provides from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The higher the UPF, the higher the UV protection.

The UPF rating indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation is absorbed by the fabric. For example, a fabric with a UPF rating of 20 allows 1/20th of the sun's UV radiation to pass through it. This means that the fabric would reduce your skin's UV radiation exposure by 20 times where it's protected by the fabric.

There are three categories of UPF protection:

1. UPF between 15 and 24 provides "Good UV Protection;"
2. UPF between 25 and 39 provides "Very Good UV Protection;" and
3. UPF between 40 and 50 provides "Excellent UV Protection."

Garments with a rating above UPF 50 may be labeled UPF 50+; however, they may not offer substantially more protection than those with a UPF of 50. Also, a garment shouldn't be labeled "sun-protective" or "UV-protective" if its UPF is less than 15. In addition, sun-protective clothing may lose its effectiveness if it's too tight or stretched out, damp or wet, and worn and washed repeatedly.

You may see labels on sun-protective garments stating that the garment meets standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). ASTM is just one organization that has developed a standard guide for the testing and labeling of UV protective fabrics. While manufacturers don't have to comply with the ASTM standard guide, those that say they do must label their garments with UPF values.

Sun Safety

Are You at High Risk from Skin Cancer?

Take the following test and add up the points to assess your risk of skin cancer.

Tips for Sun Safety

Here are some ways to make swimming and playing outdoors sun-safe.

1. Wear sunglasses to reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and other eye damage.
2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your eyes, ears, face and the back of your neck - areas that are prone to overexposure to the sun.
3. Use sunscreen before you go out, and reapply every two hours if you've been perspiring or swimming. Even waterproof sunscreens can come off when you towel off sweat or water. Be aware that children under six months of age should never have sunscreen applied to their skin; they can be protected by avoiding time outdoors.
4. Try to avoid the midday sun when the sun's UV rays are strongest.
5. Pay attention to the UV Index, which provides a forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun and indicates the degree of caution you should take when working, playing or exercising outdoors. The UV Index predicts exposure levels on a scale of 0 to10+. A 0 indicates a low risk of overexposure; 10+ means a very high risk of overexposure.

How much ultraviolet radiation we're exposed to depends on:

1. Time of day. UV is greatest at midday when the sun is high (between 10am - 4pm).

2. Season: Spring and summer have the highest intensity, but it is important to use sunscreen year-round.

3. Altitude: UV radiation increases 4% per 1000 feet elevation. Therefore, at 5000 feet (most ski resorts) there is 20% more UV radiation than at sea level.

4. Cloud Cover. Up to 80% of the sun's rays can penetrate puffy, light cloud, mist, haze and fog.

5. Reflection: Reflected UV radiation is as damaging as direct UV radiation:
   1. Sand/concrete reflects 25% of UV radiation
   2. Water reflects up to 100% of UV radiation.
   3. Snow reflects 85% of UV radiation.

6. Protection: It is your best bet to reduce your risk of skin cancer and photoaging.
   1. Sunscreen (at least 15 SPF, applied 20 minutes before sun exposure, reapply as needed and especially after sweating or getting wet)
   2. Hat (a 4-inch brimmed hat reduces sun exposure to the head, neck and face by 70%)
   3. Clothing a white, dry cotton shirt provides a SPF of about 8 more protection if the fabric is dyed or is thicker wet clothing allows 50% transmission of UV radiation

      Just wearing a white t-shirt is insufficient. A wet, light-colored shirt transmits nearly as much light to a child as his or her bare skin! Wear dark colors with long sleeves and pants when possible.

   4. Where you are. UV is strongest at the equator and gets weaker as you go toward the earth's poles.

7. UVA vs. UVB Rays: UVA's longer-wavelength rays can damage the skin's connective tissue, leading to premature aging as well as play a role in causing skin cancer. UVA rays also increase the risk of cataracts and retinal damage and are the type used in tanning salons. UVB radiation has shorter wavelengths and is primarily responsible for sunburn and skin cancer.

8. How long you're in the sun. The longer you are out in the sun, the more UV you receive.

9. What you are wearing. Most summer clothing often expose more skin to UV and don't provide adequate protection.