Sunscreen Clothing
When it comes to sun care products sunscreen clothing is often overlooked. Although no substitute for a good quality sunscreen or sunblock it provides a valuable extra line of defence. It is one of the easiest ways to keep you and your family protected.
This type of clothing is defined as any article of clothing that effectively shields your skin from the sun's rays. While wearing your regular clothing can act as a form of sun protection, there is also specially made clothing that is specifically designed to protect against UV rays.
The difference between this and regular clothing is the type of material used. Sun protective clothes are made of material that is tightly knitted or woven and uses darker colors to absorb the sun's rays. Just as sunscreen uses SPF to list its ability to prevent the skin from burning, sunscreen clothing has labels that list the UPF, which stands for 'Ultraviolet Protection Factor'. The UPF states how much protection it can offer against UV rays. The higher the rating of UPF, the stronger it is against UV rays.
Sunscreen clothing can be found online, where there are many online stores that specialize only in clothing made to guard against ultraviolet rays. Some specialty stores that sell such clothing also sell other articles and accessories: sarongs for swimsuits, sun visors, hats, jackets, and children's clothing and even baby carriers.
If you decide to wear your own clothing as a form of sun protection, make sure you choose items that are tightly knitted and lightweight. To see how your clothes stand up to the sun, take one of your shirts and hold it up to the sun. If you can see or feel the sunlight through the shirt, then it is not very effective as a form of sun protection. Because your scalp can also get sunburned, wear a hat when you head outdoors and wear protective eyewear such as sunglasses to keep your eyesight safe.
