Protective Clothing for Summer

Thus, keeping yourself protected from the sun is more crucial in your senior years. While it’s important to wear sunscreen — aim for an SPF 30 or higher — you can also protect yourself by covering up with sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats. And for extra protection, it’s a good idea to embrace UPF clothing.

Read on for a guide on UPF clothing.

Why consider UPF clothing?

“While sunscreen is important, it does not provide complete protection on its own,” says Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, a board-certified dermatologist and owner of Dermatology Circle PLLC in New York City. UPF-treated (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) clothing, she says, creates a physical barrier that blocks ultraviolet radiation from reaching the skin. “This helps reduce sunburns, premature skin aging, pigmentation and the risk of skin cancers,” adds Kazlouskaya. It can be particularly useful for people who spend extended periods outdoors or who have a history of skin cancer or sun-sensitive skin conditions.

UPF clothing offers significantly more sun protection than regular clothing. A white t-shirt, for instance, provides moderate sun protection with a UPF of around 7. If that shirt gets wet, the UPF factor decreases to around 3. It’s also been treated to maintain a certain level of sun protection, even after being worn frequently, and regularly washed.

Unlike sunscreen, which needs to be reapplied every two hours when outdoors, UPF clothing provides continuous protection while it is being worn. This makes it a convenient option for wearing during activities like gardening, walking, golfing, hiking, attending outdoor events or spending time at the beach.

What to look for when purchasing it

UPF helps to measure the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate the fabric and reach your skin. “When shopping for sun-protective clothing, look for garments labeled with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating,” says Kazlouskaya. UPF 50+ clothing is designed to block approximately 98% of UV rays. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, a UPF of 30 to 49 offers very good protection, while UPF 50+ rates as excellent. “In general, tightly woven fabrics, darker colors and specially designed sun-protective materials provide better protection than lightweight or loosely woven fabrics,” says Kazlouskaya. 

What type to purchase

These days, a variety of vendors are making everything from hats to shirts out of fabrics that protect you from the sun. Some types to consider purchasing include:

• Wide-brimmed hats to protect the face, ears and neck
• Sun-protective hoodies and long-sleeved shirts
• Arm sleeves and gloves for activities such as driving, golf or tennis
• Leg sleeves or sun-protective pants
• Rash guards and swim shirts for water sports and swimming
• UPF-treated pants, skirts and dresses
• Sweatshirts and jackets
• Neck scarves and gators

Experts say that when it comes to choosing UPF clothing, the more skin that’s covered the better. So long sleeves, full-length pants and wide-brimmed hats tend to provide more protection than short-sleeved shirts or baseball caps.

And the higher the UPF you can opt for, the better. The Melanoma Research Alliance stresses that a shirt with 100 UPF allows a 1/100th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through to your skin. That means your body has a 1% chance of getting too much sun exposure through that t-shirt, providing fantastic protection.

Many brands provide UPF clothing, and a quick internet search will pair you with many different options, depending on what type of UPF clothing you are looking for. Some of the more popular ones include:

• Coolibar
• REI
• Patagonia
• Sunday Afternoons
• Tilley
• Sprigs
• Columbia
• Lands’ End
• Solbari
• Athleta
• Eddie Bauer
• UV Skinz
• Tommy Bahama
• Outdoor Research
• Mott50

And if you can’t find UPF clothing near you or don’t want to purchase it, you can also consider UPF laundry detergent. Brands like Sun Guard and SunClad make special detergent that, when added to the wash, can turn any items washed with it into clothing of a certain UPF (varies by brand).

When to use it

Opt to wear UPF clothing between the hours of 10 to 4, when the sun’s ultraviolet radiation is the strongest. Thus, it can be especially important to wear it. “Protective clothing is especially important during prolonged outdoor activities, when sunscreen alone may not be sufficient,” says Kazlouskaya. It can be a great option for lengthy outdoor activities such as hiking, boating, attending sporting events, sightseeing or spending time at the beach or pool.

While UPF clothing can provide excellent protection, experts say it should complement other sun-protection measures. Lather a broad-spectrum sunscreen on any exposed skin, including the face, ears, neck, hands and feet to keep those areas protected from the sun as well. And don’t forget to wear your sunglasses to protect your eyes.

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