Sun Protective Clothing: Who Can Benefit?

There are many ways to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays including wearing sunscreen, avoiding tanning booths and limiting exposure to the sun between the hours of 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

But did you know that wearing sun protective clothing provides another line of defense in reducing your risk of skin cancer and help prevent premature skin aging?

In Part II of our ‘Sun Protective Clothing’ Series we answer the question, ‘Who can benefit from sun protective clothing?’

Who can benefit from sun protective clothing?
While everyone who spends time in the sun can benefit from sun protective clothing, those who can benefit most include those with:

Light Skin: If you have light skin or freckles, you tend to burn more easily.

Dark skin: If your skin is dark, then you have more built-in protection from the sun thanks to the presence of more melanin. But dark skin also makes sun damage harder to see and can breed complacency.

Children: The skin of babies and young children is thin and sensitive. If damaged at an early age, their risk of serious skin problems when older is increased.

Older adults: The older we become, the more skin damage can build up over time, increasing the risks of skin cancer as we age.

Those at high elevations or equatorial regions: The higher up you live or travel, the closer to the sun you are. And the intensity of ultraviolet radiation is greater where the air is thinner. In addition, if you live or visit countries near the equator, you’ll encounter more ultraviolet rays as the sun is directly overhead for a longer period during the day.

Those on or near water or snow: You might feel cool swimming, boating or snow-skiing, but the sun can still be ravaging your skin. That’s because you’re getting a double whammy of rays: from overhead sunlight and from the sun’s rays reflected on bright surfaces of snow or water.

Medication needs: Sensitivity to the sun is increased by many drugs including acne medications, antihistamines, antibiotics, some anti-inflammatories and some herbal supplements. Check to see if your medications are putting you at risk for increased ultraviolet ray damage.

For more information about sun protective clothing or to schedule a skin screening appointment with Dr. Price or one of our skin care professionals at Price Skin Clinic, please call 601.992.3996.