Sun Protection Tips for Golfers
If you’ve ever watched a gold tournament on television or online, one of the many alarming sites is when the golfer takes off his hat.
That white stripe across his forehead reveals the true color of his less sun damaged skin. Good thing they are wearing a hat. But what about all the skin not covered by the hat? Here’s a few friendly dermatologist tips.
1-Wear sun protective clothing. This should be labeled UPF – Ultraviolet Protection Fabric. Most golf shirts and sports fabrics inherently have a higher UPF, which is primarily determined by the tightness of the knit of the fabric. To learn more about UPF, check out the link below from the skin cancer foundation. For hats, hold them up to the light. The goal is to not see light penetrating the fabric of the hat. This means that straw hats and mesh backed hats are not the best choice.
2-Wear some sunscreen. I get a lot of pushback on sunscreen from men, especially golfers. They don’t want to mess up their grip by using a lotion, they don’t want to carry it and it stings their eyes messing up their vision. A few suggestions here… First, apply a good zinc-based sunscreen prior to heading out. Mineral based sunscreens are effective longer and don’t tend to run and sting the eyes like chemical sunscreens. Second, carry a zinc based sunscreen stick in your golf bag. Just keep it in there. These are tiny, can easily be applied to ears, neck and tops of the non-gloved hand, and also will not run or wear off easily. There are a myriad of these in the stores Cetaphil, Cerave, Coppertone, Neutrogena and more, just make sure it is mineral based with Zinc Oxide.
3-Heliocare supplement. This is one of the best kept secrets in dermatology. Despite being available for over 20 years, having tons of scientific proof that it works, and being very effective, still many people have never heard of it. This is a fern supplement that greatly reduces sensitivity to the sun. It’s not perfect, especially if you’re pale like me, but it works great! It just needs to be taken the days of sun exposure, preferably about an hour before. I purchase this on Amazon and my whole family takes it. The original and recommended formulation is made by Ferndale.
Polypodium leucotomos is a fern from South America. It has been investigated for treating skin disease and skin cancer for over 30 years, starting with Dr. Fitzpatrick at Harvard Medical School in the 1990s. Polypodium extract includes chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid. This natural extract is packed with antioxidant properties that help maintain your skin’s ability to protect itself against the damaging effects of free radicals. While it does not entirely substitute for sunscreen, it is a great alternative for those stubborn family members who refuse to use sunscreen.
If you have a golfer in your family, you can find many of these things easily on Amazon and gift them to them on their next trip to the golf course. Even better, share this article with the golfer in your life!
