Watch out when you go swimming outdoors. Water reflects over 80% of the sun's light, so you get hit with 180% (direct and indirect) sunlight. Comfy swim suits can save your skin.

Health Concern about Swimwear

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting sun protection swimwear. The most important factors affecting sun protection are skin coverage, fabric, and fit. Sun protective swimwear is typically used in a highly intense UV environment – at the beach or at the pool during summer. The best approach to protection from the sun in this environment is a combination of SPF swimwear, sunscreen, and shade. As a general rule, the greater skin coverage through uv protection swimwear, the less the area that needs to be protected by sunscreen that wears off and needs to be continually reapplied. UV protective swimwear that fully covers your shoulders and arms like swim shirts (and swim tights for legs) is the best choice for guaranteed all-day protection.

The fabric used to make sun protective swimwear is important for a number of reasons. The best uv protective swim wear fabrics will be rated UPF 50+ based on a complete life cycle test when the fabric is wet. Sun protective fabrics will typically lose some of their protection as they age, so garments should be tested for their end of life cycle protection value. Fabrics also provide less sun protection when wet. This is because water displaces air in the fabric and UV transmits better through water than air. A recent modification to the AATCC 183 protocol for testing spf swimwear calls for testing the fabric when wet – providing a better evaluation of the protection level when the garment is used in water as intended. So the best SPF swimwear will provide UPF 50+ protection when wet at the end of it’s life cycle.

Fit is important for appearance, comfort and sun protection levels. For many people, their first thought is to choose tight fitting swim shirts – just like the original rash guards or rash shirts worn by surfers. However, when stretched the weave of a fabric will open and can allow significant amount of UV to pass through the fabric. For this reason, choose sun protective swimwear that is designed to be worn close to the skin but not to be skin tight.

Slip! Slap! Slop!

The American Cancer Society recommends a 3-prong approach to sun protection with their "Slip! Slop! Slap!" campaign. They suggest you "slip" on clothes made of "tightly woven fabrics", "slap" on 15+SPF sunscreen, and "slop" on a hat or hood that shades your face, neck and ears. Now you're ready for swimming or splashing fun on the beach for extended periods.

Sun Protection Tips

1. Avoid the midday sun when the sun's UV rays are strongest.

2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect your eyes, ears, face and the back of your neck, these areas are prone to overexposure to the sun.

3. Wear sunglasses to reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and other eye damage.

4. Wear sun safe swimwear in dark colors with long sleeves and long pants if possible. A white T-shirt is insufficient as it only has a UPF of about 8 when dry, a bit more protection if the fabric is dyed or is thicker. A wet, light-colored shirt transmits nearly as much light to your skin as bare skin! Wet clothing allows up to 50% more transmission of UV radiation If you can see the skin, so can the sun.

5. Use sunscreen before you go out, and reapply every two hours if you've been perspiring or swimming. Even waterproof sunscreens can come off when you towel off sweat or water. Be aware that children under six months of age should never have sunscreen applied to their skin; they can be protected by avoiding time outdoors.

6. Pay attention to the UV Index, which provides a forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun and indicates the degree of caution you should take when working, playing or exercising outdoors. The UV Index predicts exposure levels on a scale of 0 to 10+. A 0 indicates a low risk of overexposure; 10+ means a very high risk of overexposure.

7. UVA vs. UVB Rays: UVA's longer-wavelength rays can damage the skin's connective tissue, leading to premature aging as well as play a role in causing skin cancer. UVA rays also increase the risk of cataracts and retinal damage and are the type used in tanning salons. UVB radiation has shorter wavelengths and is primarily responsible for sunburn and skin cancer.

Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure depends on:

1. How long you're in the sun. The longer you are out in the sun, the more UV you receive.

2. What you are wearing. Most summer clothes often expose more skin to UV and don't provide adequate protection. A dark hooded garment protects you from UV rays even when wet.

3. Where you are. UV is strongest at the equator and gets weaker as you go toward the earth's poles.

4. Time of day. UV is greatest at midday when the sun is high (between 10am - 4pm).

5. Season: Spring and summer have the highest intensity, but it is important to use sunscreen year-round.

6. Altitude: UV radiation increases 4% per 1000 feet elevation. Therefore, at 5000 feet (most ski resorts) there is 20% more UV radiation than at sea level.

7. Cloud Cover. Up to 80% of the sun's rays can penetrate puffy, light cloud, mist, haze and fog.

8. Reflection: Reflected UV radiation is as damaging as direct UV radiation:
   1. Sand/concrete reflects 25% of UV radiation
   2. Water reflects up to 80% of UV radiation.
   3. Snow reflects 85% of UV radiation.

9. Protection: It is your best bet to reduce your risk of skin cancer and photoaging. Cover up and look good for life.

Any tan is skin damage

Getting a tan is really not a good idea. Tanning exposes you to skin damage, cancer, and aging. The thinning ozone layer puts you at increased risk. Sunburn can lead to deadly skin cancer. It's cumulative and will not be forgiven by your skin. There is an epidemic of Melanoma with increasing numbers of patients diagnosed with this cancer.

By age 18 most people have already absorbed 80% of their lifetime allowance of UV radiation. Especially children should learn to swim in clothes to protect their softer skin. Scars during healing need protection from the sun. During the "red" phase, a tan acquired may not fade like surrounding skin. This can leave a permanent dark scar.

Encouraging Signs

A 2005 Academy survey of 1,013 adults age 18 and older found that most people (62 percent) report that they always or often wear protective clothing when they are going to be outdoors for a long period of time, an encouraging sign that points to an increased awareness of the dangers of sun exposure.

Clearly, people are hearing the message that a tan is the skin's response to injury and are using clothing as a means to protect themselves.

In Australia, sun protection has become very important. There isn't much ozone left over that country, so it is easy to get sunburned. A few years ago, the cancer council started making sun protecion clothing for everyone especially kids, as kids skin gets burned faster than adults skin. Thin cotton clothing does not always provide adequate levels of sun protection.

Suppliers

Kids Kaper UK
Lion in the Sun UK
Solartex USA
Sunemporium AUS
Sunshell AUS
Towcho UK