PROTECTING OUR HEALTH BY WEARING SUN PROTECTION CLOTHING

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• PROTECTING OUR HEALTH BY WEARING SUN PROTECTION
  CLOTHING

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Why is sun protection clothing so important?

• As with anything related to our everyday
  lives, when it comes to sun protection clothing
  and the many reasons why you should wear it its
  generally a question of going back to the basics
  of sun protection. To do this, we can start with
  the primary cause of skin damage, sunlight, which
  contains invisible rays of ultraviolet (UV)
  radiation. If you are overexposed to these rays,
  it may result not only in a dose of sunburn but,
  accelerated skin ageing and even cancer. By using
  an appropriate sunscreen and wearing sun
  protection clothing you can achieve the primary
  forms of protection against dangerous UV rays.

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The crucial UPF factor

• While most fabrics offer a certain degree of
  protection against UV radiation, it is generally
  recognized that the most effective protective
  clothing is that with an Ultra Violet Protection
  Factor (UPF) rating. This is determined on a
  scale of between a 15 rating, which is good and a
  50 plus, which is excellent. A crucial factor in
  the need to wear UPF-rated sun protection
  clothing includes those who are fair-skinned and
  sun-sensitive people, as well as children.

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• In addition, this high concern factor is
  extended to people who spend significant amounts
  of time at high elevations, equatorial regions or
  on reflective surfaces for example, water or
  snow. Although darker skinned people are less
  likely to suffer from sunburn, it is generally
  recognized that wearing UPF-rated clothing,
  offers everyone increased protection against
  UV-related health risks.

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About the UPF factor

• UPF is a rating system, used for wearing
  apparel similar to the SPF (Sun Protection
  Factor) for sunscreen products. It shows
  consumers how effective various fabrics perform
  in protecting their skin from ultraviolet (UV)
  rays and as stated previously, the higher the UPF
  rating number the more effective is the sun
  protection clothing. The UPF process provides the
  capacity for gauging the effectiveness of a
  fabric in relation to protection against
  ultraviolet A (UVA) as well as UVB light.

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• However, it is not only visible light and
  other spectrums that place our skin at risk. The
  light from the sun also includes invisible
  ultraviolet radiation or (UV-R), with
  overexposure to the UV spectrum being associated
  not only with skin cancer but, also the
  acceleration of skin ageing and wrinkling, as
  well as weakening the immune system of our bodies.

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Sun Protection Clothing

• It is the opinion of various skin-care
  experts that sun protection clothing has the
  ability to shield our skin more effectively from
  UV light than sunscreen. The influencing reasons
  for this are that in many instances sunscreen
  lotions are applied too thinly. This can result
  in not giving our skin sufficient protection, in
  accordance with the available stated SPF rating.
  Another factor is that again in many cases,
  re-application is neglected.

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• It could be argued that it was these factors
  that helped influence Australian researchers in
  developing the initial fabric testing procedures
  related to UV transmission and the creation of a
  sun protection clothing UPF rating system in the
  1990s, which was subsequently voluntarily adopted
  by clothing manufacturers. It is a sequence of
  events that demonstrates the importance attached
  to the issues surrounding the need for awareness
  regarding protection from the sun and UV rays.

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• All fabrics in various manners can impact
  on the transmission of UV radiation, a statement
  that could be misinterpreted, is that fabrics
  absorb UV rays. Any impression that a fabric has
  the ability to literally soak-up UV rays is
  misguided. During the interaction between
  ultraviolet radiation and sun protection
  clothing, the energy generated by UV rays is
  altered by being converted into heat, which
  renders the majority of rays harmless. It is
  realistic that some clothing garments are more
  effective than others, which can be influenced by
  factors like dyes, garment construction and
  fabric treatments.

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Clothing construction and child protection

• When considering the construction of sun
  protection clothing the density and tight
  construction of the weave or knitting can
  minimize the space between the yarns. This, in
  turn, reduces the volume of UV light able to pass
  through them, with thicker fabrics helping in the
  reduction of UV transmission. In certain
  instances, vents are utilised to boost the
  circulation of air in some tightly constructed
  UPF-rated clothing, which also has a cooling
  effect on the wearer.

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• Thicker fabrics also help reduce UV
  transmission, with sun protection clothing being
  accepted as a reliable degree of safety for
  children, especially those who do not accept
  sunscreen lotions.
• The Centers for Disease Control and
  Prevention (CDC) in the USA, report that the
  benefits for children who wear sun protection
  clothing are long term. By sustaining only a
  minimal number of serious sunburns, the risk of a
  child developing skin cancer later in their life,
  is increased.