For Sun Protection Clothing, What do You Need to Know?

How does clothing protect us from the sun?

Clothing is our first line. It defenses against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays (UV) and protects us by absorbing or blocking most of the radiation. The more skin you cover, the better. Long-sleeved shirts can cover the skin more than T-shirts, especially if the collar or collar is high to protect the back of the neck. Similarly, trousers protect more skin than shorts.

As part of a complete sunscreen program, the Skin Cancer Foundation has been recommending cloaking of clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and UV protection sunglasses.

What is UPF?

UPF stands for ultraviolet protection factor. It shows that the sun’s ultraviolet rays can penetrate the part of the fabric. For example, a shirt with a UPF value of 50 can only reach 1/50 of the sun’s UV radiation.

What is the difference between UPF and SPF?

UPF is commonly used to protect your clothing from sun exposure and other fabrics. It measures the amount of UVA and UVB radiation that penetrates the fabric and reaches the skin.

SPF represents the sun protection factor. This is the rating of sunscreen or other cosmetics containing sunscreen. In theory, the SPF number indicates how long you can stay in the sun before the skin turns red. SPF is only used to assess the sunscreen’s protection against UVB rays.

How do I choose the right hat?

Wide-shoulder (3 inches or larger) hats cover areas such as the scalp where sunscreen is difficult to apply or where people forget to apply sunscreen, including the back of the ears and neck.