Skin Cancer Prevention and Sun Protection Swimwear

You may feel that wearing normal clothing can protect you from the sun UV radiation; but this is not true. Only certified sun protection clothing and UV protection swimwear can provide real protection against the sun UV radiation.

Skin Cancer Prevention:

The best way to prevent skin cancer caused by UV radiation is to protect your skin from the sun. Also, it is very important to protect children from an early age, since research has found that most sun damage happens before age 15 (read sun protection messages for children as a special risk group at http://www.ecostinger.com/sun_protection_clothing_children.php). It is best to wear sun protective clothing when exposed to the sun, and specially when swimming, and use sunscreen on exposed skin whenever you can.

Also, you should be aware of UV radiation which can be reflected by sand, water, snow, and ice. UV radiation can go through light clothing, windshields, windows, and clouds. Wear long sleeves and long pants, a hat with a wide brim, and sunglasses that absorb UV. Use sunscreen lotions at least SPF15 where possible.

UV Radiation:

The most common place where you can be over-exposed to the sun UV radiation is on the beach. Therefore a special type of sun clothing is required which can give you the right skin protection and the freedom you expect to feel when spending your day swimming, sailing, surfing or simply walking on the sands. The ozone protects Earth from harmful UV radiation. Ozone depletion and weather variations cause different amounts of UV radiation to reach the Earth. To check the UV index in your city or country visit the Environmental Protection Agency website.

About UV Protection Swimsuits:

Not all sunscreens provide the same sun protection (sunscreen UV protection is measured in SPF: Sun Protection Factor), and not all sunglasses provide the same eye protection (eye UV protection is measured in EPF: Eye Protection Factor); the same applies to swimwear and clothing which is measured in UPF: Ultraviolet Protection Factor. Therefore, it is very important to make sure the type of sun protection clothing or UV swimwear you use on the beach have been tested and certified to offer the highest UPF rating of UPF50+, which blocks over 97.5% of the sun UV radiation.

You can find sun protection swimwear products online from several suppliers; however only few have the right certification or the fabric they use have been tested for protection against UV radiation. Make sure when getting your UV protection swimsuits that garments and fabric have been certified by ARPANSA (Australan Radiation Protection And Nuclear Safety Agency) with ratings of UPF50+ UV cover; you can read more about ARPANSA certification at http://www.ecostinger.com/uv_protective_clothing_fabric.php

Beware of companies claiming 100% sun protection, or using wrong terms for clothing, such SPF. Also, not all companies who claim the right sun protection term of UPF are necessary genuine and have had their garments or fabric tested by the correct government agency such as ARPANSA. There is no law to prevent someone claiming their products provide UPF50+ protection if they are using their own sun protection tags or UPF50+ in-house designed logo. So be careful how you pick the right sun protection clothing product. Ask about the certification or the government agency who tested the garment.