Dreaming of Summer 2.0- Clothing
Sun Protection with Clothing
If you are like me, shedding my winter clothes comes with a mixed bag of emotions. All winter, I look normal, wearing long sleeves and pants. BUT IN JULY!?? Yes, I am the crazy one who wears long sleeves almost all the time, all year long.
Why? First of all, I am very self-conscious about my arms, which are very freckly from years of sun damage. Second, I’ve already had skin cancer and tons of precancerous areas treated. Last, I know it’s hard to believe, but I actually feel cooler wearing long sleeves. Hear me out!
First of all, I am admittedly NUTTY about protecting my skin, but there’s some real science here. One of the types of rays emitted from the sun is the Infrared Rays. Infrared radiation is what provides a warm sensation in the sun. According to the atlas of science, “ The spectrum of solar radiation reaching the Earth is divided as follows: 6.8% UV, 38.9% visible, and 54.3% near-infrared radiation (NIR)”. There is still some scientific disagreement about the extent of the impact of infrared exposure on the skin, but avoiding those rays definitely keeps the skin cooler. The new generation of ZO Skin Health sunscreens in the Spring Boutique protect against IR, but the best protection is from sun-protective clothing.
Clothing! As you start looking for summer outfits, humor me! I get most of my sun protective shirts from a site called Coolibar. I wear these all the time: exercise, pool, casual wear, amusement parks, sporting events. They wash well, dry quickly, and pack well. But, you can find sun protective gear in a variety of sporting goods stores and even department stores. Fabrics are labeled with a UPF rating. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UPF rating is based on the content, weight, color, and construction of the fabric, and indicates how much UV can penetrate the fabric. For instance, a shirt with a UPF of 50 allows just 1/50th of the sun’s UV radiation to reach your skin.
Hats! Also, try to choose one with a UPF rating. When choosing a hat, I often recommend holding it up to the light and make sure that you can’t see a lot of light through it. For the best protection, get a wide-brimmed hat that covers the ears. There are a few sites that sell dermatologist-recommended hats listed below.
Oral Supplements! Heliocare is an oral supplement containing a fern extract Polypodium leucotomos. This can be taken daily as additional sun protection and has been scientifically shown to work remarkably well. For those who don’t like to take pills, the same extract is now in a sports drink called UVO. I am so excited about this amazing and honestly delicious drink.
Look for the Skin Cancer Foundation Seal of Approval on Sun Protection Products (www.skincancer.org).
For the products mentioned in this article, check out the links below. I have no financial affiliation or interest in these companies or their products.
Coolibar – Sun protective clothing and hats
Wallaroo. – Sun Protective Hats
For scientific information supporting this article, check out these links!
WHO Publication on Sun Protection – This is a good resource for educators
Skin Cancer Foundation Article on Sun Protective Clothing – This is a great article that details what to look for in fabrics.
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