Dress for Sun Protection
posted in PCB |Summer means fun at the beach, park, or pool. It also means time for sun protection because in the California Cancer Registry, the California Department of Health Services estimates that this year in Sacramento County there will be 215 new cases of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
But besides seeking shade and wearing a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, there’s one more thing you can do: wear sun protective clothing.
“It’s a misconception to think that every form of clothing provides enough sun protection to prevent sunburn,” said dermatologist Susan H. Weinkle, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
“In fact, most of the summer clothes we have hanging in our closets would not get high marks for sun protection. But knowing what types of fabrics and colors to look for is a good start.” How to Select Sun Protective Fabric for you and Your Children Light-colored, light weight fabrics, and those with a loose weave do not offer adequate protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
“An easy way to test the amount of sun protection in an article of clothing is to hold it up to a light or window and see how much light passes through the fabric,” said Dr. Weinkle. “If a lot of light passes through, it will not provide adequate sun protection and you should opt for a more opaque fabric.”
Also, consider whether the fabric is stretched or wet when worn. “Any article of clothing that is stretched in certain areas loses some level of UV protection, because the fabric becomes thinner and more transparent to light,” explained Dr. Weinkle.
“Wet clothing also poses a problem, with some fabrics - such as cotton - losing up to 50 percent of their SPF. In Florida, for example, it’s common practice for parents to put a white T-shirt on their children to protect them from the sun while swimming. What parents don’t realize is when this T-shirt gets wet, it actually provides very little sun protection.” And it’s particularly important to protect children’s skin from sun exposure.
“Childhood sunburns increase the risk of melanoma, says Georgia Abrams M.D., a dermatologist who treats skin cancer in Saratoga, California. “Patients may not be aware of skin cancer that is covered by clothing on areas, such as the back.”
So she advises patients to have a yearly skin check.
Sun Protective Clothing for Infants and Children
Kerry Marini, a former Elk Grove teacher and mother of two, was concerned about protecting her infant’s skin from the sun while visiting her family in Australia. From that concern emerged her idea to create a sun protective clothing company in the United States. Fun In The Sun Solar Wear TM, LLC, a company in El Dorado Hills, sells apparel for infants and children that has been lab tested by DuPont and Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and found to have a Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating of 50+.
The Fun in the Sun Solar Wear fabric, invented by Dupont, is UV protective, elastic fiber LYCRA