Sun Smart

Meghan A.T.B. Reese

The peak of summer, July and August, means the beach, swimming, picnics, theme parks, and water parks. Common to all these classic summertime activities is the sun. We all know how imperative sunscreen is, but protection doesn’t stop with a slather.

Sandra Marchese Johnson MD, FAAD, says, “Sun protective clothing, hats, glasses, and sun avoidance during peak hours (10 am to 4 pm) are most important. Sunscreen is just one part of being sun smart.”

“Personally, for me and my children, we use hats, glasses, sun protective clothing [on top of sunscreen],” Johnson says. Coolibar and Solumbra are two companies that offer a full line of sun protective clothing from water shirts for surfing to casual wear for the whole family recommended by Johnson. Coolibar earned the Skin Cancer Foundation’s (SCF) Seal of Recommendation. Other companies offering sun protection clothing include Shady Lady Products, LLC, and Solar Eclipse.

Keep in mind with sun protective clothing: according to the SCF, “Only clothes with a UPF of 15-50+ may be labeled as sun-protective.” Also, light-colored, lightweight, and loosely woven fabrics do not offer much protection from the sun. A white T-shirt provides only moderate protection from sunburn, with an average sun protection factor (SPF) of 7. At the other end of the spectrum, a long-sleeved dark denim shirt offers nearly SPF of 1,700—nearly complete sun block. The SPF of a green cotton T-shirt is 10, while that of a white cotton shirt is 7. A thicker fabric such as black velvet might have an SPF of about 50, but is not very practical for sticky summer days. The easiest way to test if a fabric can protect your skin is to hold it up to the light. If you can see through it, then UV radiation can penetrate it–and your skin.

Ultraviolet (UV) ray protective clothing can be a bit costly and kids might turn up their young noses at wearing “so not cool” hats, but Johnson says, “Skin cancer is so common. There is a genetic predisposition that we cannot change, [since we] cannot pick our parents. But we can change our habits—being sun smart is one thing we can do to prevent skin cancer and aging and wrinkles.”

One major wrinkle blaster is wearing sunglasses every time you go outside, whether it's overcast or bright and sunny. Those pesky squint lines or age spots are not just marks of time but the indelible reminders of photoaging. Protecting your eyes against the sun is also essential in preserving vision. Sara Hecker, spokesperson for Prevent Blindness America says, “Keep in mind UV damage is cumulative and has been linked to cataracts, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases." She says it’s important to reach for your sunglasses every time you go out because your eyes and the fragile skin around them can easily sunburn.

But in an age of fashion over function, many sunglasses are little more than plastic eye covers that block out almost none of the harmful UV rays. Many “designer” glasses and the cheaper glasses you buy next to postcard stands are often coated with UV protection that can rub away and wash off in chlorine or the ocean. Hecker says to look for 99% protection labels and quality materials. Costa Del Mar sunglass line offers shades that provide 100% protection and those UV properties are designed to be embedded in all lens materials (glass, polycarbonate, CR-39 plastic) so the protection won’t wear over time.

Other sun smart steps you can follow include being (and staying) made in the shade on beach outings with an umbrella, especially during peak hours. Remember to reapply sunscreen every time you come out of the water or after sweating. And get down to your birthday suit and get checked on your birthday—the American Academy of Dermatology advises a full body skin exam every year.