How to Get the Best Protection from the Sun

How to Get the Best Protection from the Sun

We're all working so hard to keep up with the newest trends that Hollywood has to offer, but now there's some style advice that'll really improve our lives.

As the Associated Press recently reported, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise's erstwhile sidekick, has expressed her regret at being born with red hair and a light complexion, stating, "I wish that I hadn't been born with red hair and fair skin." Surely, she should have known. In her native Australia, where skin cancer is on the rise, she should know better.

After all that, Australia is the global leader in skin cancer prevention education and sun safety behaviors. Skin cancer is, in fact, the most frequent malignancy in the world. The regulation applies to Americans too! According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a person in the United States loses their life to skin cancer every hour (www.AAD.org). Perhaps Nicole Kidman's example will inspire a new fashion trend: sun protection gear (www.SunSavvy.net).

Despite its widespread usage in Australia, Europe, and South Africa, ultraviolet radiation protection gear (sometimes referred to as "UVR") is still largely obscure in the United States. The most efficient way for people to protect themselves from the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation is to wear sun protection apparel at all times.

Considering that the usual white 100% cotton t-shirt gives just an SPF 6 (which provides only 14% of sun protection), it is evident that there is a need for light-weight, utilitarian apparel that also delivers great sun protection.

Sun protection clothing (the equivalent of SPF 30 sunscreen) blocks a large percentage of UV radiation.The Skin Cancer Foundation considers this to be "the best of the best" in terms of effective sun protection. SPF 20 sunscreen allows just five out of every 100 UV protons to reach your skin, which means that sun protection apparel is the most innovative new product on the market today for anyone wishing to protect themselves and their loved ones from sun harm.

Everyone should use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 every day and SPF 30 if they are outside between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. when UV rays are at their strongest, according to Sancy A. Leachman, a dermatologist-oncologist at the Tom C. Mathews Jr. Familial Melanoma Research Clinic at The Huntsman Cancer Institute (www.huntsmancancer.org).

In addition, those of us who have many risk factors for skin cancer, such as pale or sensitive skin, many atypical moles, and even a family history of the disease, such as Nicole Kidman's, should use an SPF 30 sunscreen. Sancy believes that wearing sun-protective clothes and using sunscreen all year round is the most effective method of preventing skin cancer. Her dermatological medicine colleagues also concur with her findings.

Dr. J.M. Mentor, a dermatology professor at Morehouse School of Medicine, adds, "Appropriate sun clothing should give excellent protection against both short-term and long-term photo damage [such as wrinkles, skin cancer, and even cataracts]." (www.MSM.edu). Stingray's Australian-made sun protection clothing, for example, blocks both UV-B and UV-A rays, making it ideal for protecting against the sun's harmful rays.

Stingray is the first apparel brand to concentrate on UV-protected swimwear and everyday gear for children and adults. Wendy Lister, the Managing Director of Stingray, explains that "by listening to the demands of our various clients, we are able to develop solutions that take the "sting out of the sun's rays." "The finest UV protection is now available to the public." According to the American Academy of Dermatology, those who live at or near the equator have the greatest risk of developing skin cancer.

As native South Africans, Glen and Liisa Tomson are well-versed in how damaging sun damage can be to our health. "Only Skin Deep?" is a worldwide skin cancer preventive education program that they have recently teamed up with The Cancer Crusaders Organization (http://www.CancerCrusaders.org) on. To combat the most prevalent but avoidable cancer in the world, this campaign tries to get parents and young people involved.

It is clear to Glen Tomson that the United States has an urgent need for more information and education. My wife and I have been to the pool far too much to watch all the youngsters running about in the sun-scorched state they are in. So that parents may better safeguard their children, we often provide them with shade [clothes] and sunscreen. " Even though they're both business owners, Glen and Liisa have a personal interest in developing good sun safety habits in their children from an early age, which is why they've created a line of sun protection apparel and sunscreen.

If you have a severe "blistering" sunburn before the age of 18, your risk of developing skin cancer rises by 60%, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. A person's first 18 years of life account for 80 percent of their lifelong skin damage. Mountain states, where UV irradiation is very severe, should be especially concerned about this.

According to Dr. Leachman, if you're standing on the top of Mt. Timpanogos in Utah, you're burning up to 66 to 77 times more calories than you would on the beach in Los Angeles, according to Dr. Leachman. As Lechman points out, "Skin cancer incidence is growing alarmingly in the United States, thus it is imperative that we all take adequate care to protect ourselves."