Nearly everyone is familiar with traditional sun protection such as hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. But have you considered a sun shirt, sun gloves, or sun sleeves? These are items specifically made to provide protection from the sun. Sometimes it isn’t convenient to apply sunscreen, and these clothes can keep the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays off you without having to worry about greasy hands or reapplying sunscreen. Sunwear items are given a UPF rating which stands for Ultraviolet Protective Factor. Usually, sunwear provides UPF 50 whereas the typical white t-shirt only provides UPF 7. Sun protective clothing can prevent both sunburns and aging to your skin by blocking both UVB and UVA rays. How does it work you may ask? Tightly woven fabrics minimize the number of ultraviolet rays that can pass through. Some fabrics such as polyester provide more protection than other fabrics such as cotton. Certain clothing is pre-treated with UV-protectant materials. Give it a try! Even having just one sun shirt around for the summer can make a big difference.
Here are a few options:
Women’s shirt from Patagonia: https://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-tropic-comfort-crew/52105.html?dwvar_52105_color=FRDR&cgid=collections-sun-protection#tile-10=&start=1&sz=24
Men’s shirt from Patagonia: https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-tropic-comfort-crew-ii/52118.html?dwvar_52118_color=WHI&cgid=collections-sun-protection#tile-10=&start=1&sz=24
Girls’ shirt from UV Skinz: https://www.uvskinz.com/Long-Sleeve-Shirt-Girls-p/020350.htm?color=532
Sun sleeves from UV Skinz: https://www.uvskinz.com/Eclipse-Sun-Sleeves-p/090960.htm?color=318
Disclaimer: We do not have any affiliation with these companies or products
Written by guest blogger, Stephanie Sutton, M.D.
