UV Protection Tips

The harmful effects of the sun are cumulative and burning the skin at an early age increases the risk in later years of developing skin cancer so be sure to protect your children’s skin. It’s important to remember that years of sun exposure increases the chance of getting skin cancer.Of course the most obvious protection is to seek shade and avoid the sun, (especially during the peak UV hours of 10am-4pm), but not all of us can do this, (especially if we’re on a tropical vacation!).Basically you’ve got 2 options: sun protective clothing and sunscreen.Sun Protective ClothingIf you’re going to be in and around the water you can’t beat a rash guard for practical and stylish UV protection. A rash guard is also known as a surf shirt, rashie, board shirt, rashguard, UV shirt and probably other names. A typical rash guard is made of a lycra/nylon blend, is stretchy like a pair of nylons or spandex and is designed to fit skin tight. They’re supposed to fit this tight so they stay close to your skin in the water, (as opposed to a t-shirt which will float up around your chest). In addition to staying put on your skin to protect you from the sun this is also how they protect you from a rash if you’re surfing, boogie boarding or doing some other sport where your skin comes into contact with an object in the water.Rash guards offer SPF 50 protection that conveniently won’t wash off and doesn’t need to be reapplied to last all day, (even in the water!). A typical cotton t-shirt only offers you about SPF 5 protection.An alternative to a traditional rash guard is a Repel StayDry Shirt.These UV protective shirts offer the same SPF 50 protection as a rash guard but have a looser, more t-shirt style of fit. They’re also water repellant and you can watch water bead up and drop off the material without soaking into the fibers.Repel StayDry Shirts can be worn in and out of the water and are perfect for activities such as sailing, kayaking, fishing, kite surfing, wind surfing, etc.Last but not least in the arena of protective clothing, don’t forget to wear a hat. Be sure you use one with a brim that is at least 3 inches long. A hat with a full brim going all the way around it is much more preferable than a cap with just a bill in the front as it will protect your ears and neck.In addition to rash guards, Repel StayDry Shirts and hats, remember to use sunscreen. The medical community recommends using sunscreen with at least SPF 15 protection.SunscreenWe all know that lying on the beach or canoeing down a river exposes us to harmful UV rays, but so can walking down the street, (even on an overcast day) and just driving in your car.Wearing sunscreen everyday is one of the most important ways you can protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun.When selecting a sunscreen be sure to purchase one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions and remember to re-apply often, especially if you’re in the water, sweating or in the sun longer than 2 hours.Even if you’re wearing a rash guard or Repel StayDry Shirt you still need sunscreen to protect your face, ears, head, (don’t forget the part in your hair), hands and feet, (burnt tops of feet can be very painful).Be sure to take extra care in protecting the skin of children and babies as the harmful effects of the sun are cumulative and a sunburn as a child can mean skin cancer as an adult.

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