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- Take these easy steps to protect your skin from sun damage
- Avoid or limit sun-exposure between the hours of 10 am and 4 p.m.
- Seek shade when outside if possible
- Select sun-protective clothing
- Wear sunscreen everyday on skin and UV lip balm on lips
- Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside or before you get dressed in the morning
- Choose the right sunscreen for your outdoor activity
- Wear a hat and sunglasses outside
- Choose sunglasses with a label or sticker indicating that they offer UV protection
- Avoid strong sudden exposure to skin that is normally covered
- Check the UV index before you participate in an outdoor activity
- If you are wearing clothing to protect your skin from the sun, be sure to choose the right clothes (see below) and to protect the areas of your skin which are uncovered, such as lower arms and legs if wearing short sleeves and pants.
What is SPF?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. It is a measure of how much protection the product provides from UVB rays. For example, if you can stay in the sun for 10 minutes without burning without sunscreen, a sunscreen of SPF 15 should allow you to stay in the sun for 150 minutes. Typically, though, an SPF 15 product will not protect you for quite that long because of product rub-off due to sweat and friction.
What is UPF?
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. It is the scale used to measure how much UVB and UVA radiation is blocked and absorbed. UPF is a rating that is now applied to sun-protective clothing. A fabric with a rating of UPF 50 allows only 1/50th of sun rays to pass through. This type of clothing offers sun-protection that is much stronger than the amount of protection provided by regular clothing. It is important to note that even clothing with a UPF rating will lose it's protective properties if it is stretched, washed improperly, or worn out.
What type of clothing offers sun protection?
- It is possible to purchase clothing with a UPF rating to wear when outside in the sun.
- Regular clothing (without a UPF rating) offers some sun protective benefits also.
- Clothes with a tighter weave, and those made from darker fabrics tend to offer more protection.
- A white cotton t-shirt offers very little UV protection, but a denim shirt offers much more UV protection.
- Wet clothing loses some of it's sun protection properties.
- Loose clothing is generally more comfortable and breathable (so it doesn't get wet from perspiration and lose protective properties) in hot weather.
- Laundry additives (such as RIT Sunguard) can be washed into regular clothing to add a UPF of 30 for up to 20 washes.
- Where to buy clothing with UPF ratings
- There are many online sources to buy clothing with a stated UPF rating. Listed below are some sites we found:
- http://www.landsend.com -- swim//beach wear for kids with an UPF factor of 50 on many items ouch as swim suits, rash guards, shorts, skirts, and even capri pants
- http://www.sunprecautions.com -- a wide selection of clothing for kids, women and men including pants, shirts, t-shirts, swimwear and hats all with UPF ratings
- http://www.nozone.ca/noz_usa.htm -- full body UPF swimwear for kids, in addition to UPF clothing for kids up to age 16
- http://www.alexandme.com -- a wide selection of UPF clothing for kids, women and men including pants, shirts, t-shirts, swimwear and hats
- http://www.coolibar.com/index.html -- a wide selection of UPF clothing for kids, women and men including pants, shirts, t-shirts, swimwear and hats
- For more information on UPF clothing, visit The Skin Cancer Foundation's section on Sun-Protective Clothing (http://skincancer.org/prevention/dress.php)
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