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Significance of
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Sunburn can occur easily while swimming and is more likely when there is a high level of reflected UV radiation such as dry sand and sea foam. The best protection is to avoid outdoor activity from 10am to 4pm and seek shade where possible. Otherwise use sun protective products. A good UV protection swimwear is foremost.
How to Select UV Swimwear?
The three most important factors that determines the sun protection effectiveness are:
Skin Coverage
Swimwear is often used in open area with very high UV intensity - beach and swimming pool. Essentially, the greater the skin coverage through swimwear the lesser the area that needs to be protected by sunscreen.
Take note that sunscreen wears off and needs to be continually reapplied. Therefore a swimwear that fully covers your shoulder, arms and even legs like wetsuits or bodysuits is the best for all-day protection.
Fabric Type
The best UV swimwear use fabric that is rated UPF50+. Fabric must have a UPF of at least 15 to be considered sun protective.
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor and it indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation falling on the surface passes through it. A fabric with a rating of 50 will allow 1/50 th of the sun's rays to pass through. This means that the material blocks 98% of the UV radiation.
UPF rating does not refer to the design of the swimwear, just the fabric. Many qualities affect the UV protection factor of a fabric such as:
- weave density
- material composition
- colour
- thickness
- weight
Also take note that with use and wear - degradation due to laundering, stretch, exposure to chlorine and sea water salt, UV protection properties is altered.
Fit (in shape)
Fit is important for the following reasons:
- comfort
- appearance
- sun protection effectiveness
If you choose a tight fitting swimsuit, and when stretched the weave of the fabric will open and can allow significant amount of UV rays to pass through the fabric. So choose a size to be worn close to the skin but not skin-tight.
Besides being comfortable, cool and fashionable, UV swimwear must have these qualities:
- excellent stretch and recovery - shape retention
- lightweight
- resistant to deterioration by body oils, perspiration, lotions, sunscreen and detergents
- chlorine and salt water resistant
- long lasting colours
Take a QUIZ! A regular T-shirt is enough to protect my child from harmful sun rays? YES or NO?The answer is No. A typical T-shirt has a UPF of 7. Clothing must have a UPF of at least 15 to be considered sun protective. Also if a garment gets wet due to sweat or water UPF reduces.
How to pick sun protective clothing correctly for your needs.
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