Hats
Hats can offer good sun protection for the head
and for the eyes. The head and neck get almost continual sun exposure even in
winter.
Hats with a downward slanting brim protect the
face and neck as the sun approaches the horizon. A hat with a wide brim can significantly
reduce UV-B exposure when the sun is directly overhead. Best protection is
offered by a hat with a brim of 3 inches or greater. Broad brim hats
provide better protection than small brim hats. Small-brim hats (less than
1 inch) provide minimal protection for the nose and chin. A hat with brim
greater than 3 inches (broad brim) provides a sun protective shield for the nose,
chin, top of ears, and neck.
Choose hats that are made from tightly woven or
felted dense material. Avoid hats with large holes in the fabric weave. The top
and brim of a loosely woven straw hat or light mesh hat should have a sun-proof
liner.
Baseball caps with transparent mesh backs for
comfort are better than nothing, but obviously do not provide coverage for the
ears, neck, and scalp.
Don't forget about the neck! Long hair can
provide sun protection. Neck drapes with hats are one style option. French
foreign legion style hats cover the neck.
A hat with a drape to extend across the face
provides a good amount of protection.
Some hats are made for sun protection with fabric
tested to have a high UPF rating. For good sun protection, select a hat tested
UPF 30 or higher. Lightweight plastic hats are commercially available and
designed specifically to provide a physical block to UV radiation.
Scarves
A scarf is a handy item to keep on hand at all
times to avoid unplanned exposure to sunlight. A scarf can be worn as a face-shielding
mask.
UV Facial Masks
Facial masks are available for purchase from
specialty sun protection sites and from outdoor sporting goods shops. Some are
fabric bandana or tube style. Others are clear or smoky plastic visors.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses can protect the eyes from UV light. Choose sunglasses blocking 99-100% of UV rays. Labels
saying "UV absorption up to 400nm" provide 100% UV absorption. Select
your sunglasses based on the label and NOT by price or lens color. Wraparound
style sunglasses provide additional protection by stopping sunlight from the
sides.
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References:
Keep your hat on: Headwear is back, Skin Cancer
Foundation, 2013.
A
Guide to Sunglasses, Glaucoma Research Foundation, reviewed on April 16, 2013.
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better our lives. We try to be accurate, but the articles and advice may have
errors, become out-of-date, or even give bad advice.
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2006-2020 sun1 Support Group for Sun Sensitive People
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