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SunWise Clothing
- Sun Protection and
Clothing
In addition to the use of sunscreen, protective
clothing, hats and sunglasses are essential elements to protecting
yourself and loved ones from the sun’s damaging rays. Although
sunscreen is a vital step to the prevention of skin cancers, alone
it will not provide the greatest protection.
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The
SHADE Mall
SHADE Foundation does not endorse any of the products or
services listed on this website. All information is provided
as a service to our web site viewers. |
| Clothing
Both the American Cancer Society and the American Academy
of Dermatology recommend that in addition to wearing sun-screen,
individuals should “cover-up” whenever possible.
However, it is important to understand that in many cases
only minimal protection is afforded by regular clothing. While
covering as much skin as possible when playing or working
outside is an important part of a sun-protection regime, regular
clothing does not block out harmful ultraviolet radiation
(UVR).
UVR
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) passes through the weave of fabric,
and although in most cases one will not experience a sunburn
when wearing clothing, these harmful rays cause damage such
as premature aging and skin cancer. In general, darker colors
and products made with a tighter weave provide better protection.
Yet, many common clothing articles do not afford much sun
protection.
UPF
UPF, which stands for ultraviolet protection factor, is a
scale that determines the level of protection provided by
clothing articles. UPF ratings are determined by the percentage
of UV radiation that is transmitted through the material.
For example, an ordinary t-shirt is rated with a UPF 5. This
rating means that a “typical” t-shirt only blocks
about 10% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays when dry. This
number actually drops when wet as the weave is pulled, causing
slightly larger gaps in the fabric weave. Also, old, faded
garments may have a lower UPF rating.
When heading to the pool or beach, a good alternative to
regular clothing is sun protective swim and play wear. Quality
products manufactured and sewn from specialized water friendly
materials that are rated to a UPF50+ provide sun-protection
while enjoying the outdoors. And, sun wear is better than
sunscreen alone because it won’t towel off and doesn’t
need to be reapplied.
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| Garments
with a UPF of 50+ will have at least 50 times more protection
against UV radiation that unprotected skin. |
UPF
is used to rate clothing and Sunscreen Protection Factor
(SPF) is used to rate sunscreen
Tips for sun safe….
1. Wear
long sleeve shirts, long pants and hats whenever possible
2. Wear clothing with tighter weaves
3. Treat cotton-based clothing, such as t-shirts, with
RIT Sun Guard
4. When shopping for sun-protective clothing, look for
an ARPANSA rating tag and a UPF of 50+
5. Wear sun-protective swim-wear with a UPF 50+ rating
when at the beach, swimming pool or enjoying other water
activities |
WASH SUNSCREEN INTO
CLOTHING
A unique product….RIT SunGuard ä can be washed
into cotton clothing such as t-shirts to raise the protection
from a UPF 5 to a UPF 30. To learn more about RIT SunGuard,
visit B-UV-Free.
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Hats
Protection
Wearing a well designed hat is an important
step to substantially reduce the amount of ultraviolet radiation
(UV) that reaches your head, face, ears and neck. A broad-brimmed,
closely woven hat offers the best protection. Although a baseball
cap is better than nothing at all, it does not shade your ears and
neck. Despite the benefits of wearing a hat, other protective measures,
such as the use of sunscreen and sunglasses should be taken, as
hats will not block out all harmful UV rays.
Recommended Hats
These styles provide excellent protection for your head, face,
ears and neck from harmful UV rays.
- Broad-brimmed hats with a brim of at least
7.5 cm
- Legionnaire-style hats
- Bucket style hats with a brim of at least
6 cm (for elementary school children and older) or 5 cm
(for pre-school children).
Tips when buying a hat
- Look for a style that shades the face,
ears and neck
- Hat made of closely woven weave material.
If you can see through the hat material, the UV rays will
also get through!
- Look for hats that do not obscure vision
or pose a safety concern
- Hat with good ventilation, especially if
the hat is to be used while exercising.
*Information taken from Sun Smart Australia
www.sunsmart.com
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Broad-brimmed hat |
Legionnaire hat |
Bucket hat |
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Sunglasses
Radiation is the name given to the sun's rays which
reach the earth's surface. Although solar radiation provides heat
and life, it can also be potentially harmful. Radiation includes
both visible and invisible light. The visible light allows us to
see the colors of the rainbow. Some light has more energy than others
and generally, the more energy the light has, the more damage it
can cause. The three most common forms of harmful radiation are
ultraviolet, blue and infrared.
Infrared
Infrared is the least harmful of the three. This invisible light
has no known direct toxic effect on the eye or skin, but does cause
heat. Its most common use is with artificial heat lamps used in
bathrooms.
Blue Light
Blue light is the highest energy form of visible light. Though it
has no known harmful effect on the skin, it readily passes through
the lens of the eye and is absorbed in the pigmented cells behind
the retina. It is now believed that blue light may slowly damage
the retina, contributing to the potentially blinding condition known
as macular degeneration.
Ultraviolet Light
Ultraviolet light has the most energy and is divided into three forms,
A, B and C. Very little of the invisible UVC rays reach the earth's
surface. UVB does penetrate our ozone layer and is known to cause
skin cancer, cataract and degeneration of the clear covering over
the white part of the eye (conjunctiva) called a pterygium. Therefore,
UVB has the most potential damage of all radiation reaching the earth's
surface. UVA was once thought to be the healthy "tanning"
rays of the sun. We now know that UVA can also lead to skin cancer
and is most likely the cause of "photo aging" or wrinkling
of the skin.
Protection
Fortunately, we can protect our skin and eyes against all harmful
radiation by taking some simple precautionary measures. With regard
to the eyes, UV protection is simply not good enough. Sunglasses
with amber or orange tinted lenses, necessary to block blue light,
should be worn for all outdoor activities. A special lens called
the Ultraguard™ lens has been designed, which blocks all three
forms of harmful radiation.
Who is at greatest risk?
People who work or play around water or snow may receive up to 80%
more harmful light reflected from these surfaces. Patients who have
undergone cataract extractions may be at higher risk for retinal
damage from UV and blue light. In general, all people who are frequently
outdoors, and especially those with blue eyes are at high risk for
UV damage. Children should be particularly careful to wear this
protection as their retina is exposed to 70% more UV light, because
the lens of a child is still in the early development stages.
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