5 Reasons to Wear UV Protective Clothing

We love sunscreen. It’s one of our very favorite inventions - especially for the bits that you just can’t protect any other way. But dermatologists highly recommend adding UV protective clothing to your arsenal. UPF rated clothing provides a physical shield against the sun's harmful rays, which cause about 90% of the visible signs of aging and skin cancers. 

Here are some of the top reasons why sun-protective clothing is important:

1. Comprehensive Protection: Unlike sunscreen, which needs to be reapplied at least every two hours due to the skin’s natural moisture (and more often with sweat or water), UV protective clothing offers consistent and reliable protection throughout the day.

2. Convenience: With UV protective clothing, there's no need to worry about applying and reapplying sunscreen, making it a convenient, safe choice for outdoor activities.

3. Aging and Skin Cancer Prevention: Prolonged exposure to the UV radiation causes sunburn, premature aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer. Sun-protective clothing provides a physical block, greatly reducing these risks and promoting long-term skin health.

4. Versatility: UV protective clothing comes in a variety of styles, making it easy to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe. Soleil Sunwear’s collection of UPF 50+ apparel provides super comfortable and chic sun protection. Hoodies (sport and crop) are especially great for covering the most over-exposed areas, like hands, neck, decollete and even provide some peripheral facial protection. 

5. Health and Safety: Many chemical sunscreens contain toxic ingredients that have been shown to cause coral reef damage. These ingredients have also been shown to disrupt fertility and hormonal activity, and may have other negative health impacts. Replacing sunscreen with sun-protective clothing helps mitigate these risks to our oceans and our bodies.

Photo by QUI NGUYEN on Unsplash

Sources:

Skin Cancer Foundation - "UPF Clothing: Sun Protective Clothes That Block UV Rays": https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing/

American Academy of Dermatology Association - "How to Select Sun Protective Clothing": https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/sun-protection/sunscreen/how-to-select-sun-protective-clothing

Mayo Clinic - "Sun-protective clothing: What's the best fabric for blocking UV rays?": https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sun-protective-clothing/faq-20057844