Most people don’t realize that 1 in 5 Americans will have some form of skin cancer in their lifetime. I am the 1 in 5 Americans with skin cancer. Did you know one severe sunburn as a child more than doubles the risk of getting skin cancer as an adult? Skin cancer is scary… but there are ways to protect you and your family in the sun.
How to Protect Your Family in the Sun
Did you know the sun’s rays can penetrate your clothing? The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating system measures the UV protection provided by fabric. Clothing with a UPF of 50 only allows 1/50th of UV radiation to pass through the fabric.
Wear UPF protective clothing
My husband and Annabelle have golden skin that tans even with sunscreen, but Ailey was born with my fair skin. We will always need to be covered with both sunscreen and UPF 50+ sun protective clothing regardless of our skin color. However Ailey and I are more susceptible to painful sunburns and premature freckles. The pediatrician said she will most likely develop freckly skin like myself, but for now we have to be extra careful.
As soon as it’s warm enough to be in the sun, I put Arbor in this sun safe swimsuit from UV Skinz to protects her arms and legs. We never forget a sun protective hat to cover her head and face.
Both Annabelle and Ailey love to run wild on the beach – well Ailey can’t run, but she sure can crawl. I know that the sun is hitting the girls from all angles even on a cloudy day. We always put on sunscreen before heading outdoors, but the girls are temperamental and squirmy, so I worry about missing hard to reach places. Dressing the girls in UPF 50+ Sun Protective swim shirts and bottoms are a perfect solution for the adventurous duo.
How to Protect the Adults in the Sun
As for Mom and Dad, Brandon and I are often too focused on the girls to remember our own skin. The UPF 50+ Sun Protective clothing for adults is trendy, comfortable, and waterproof, too. Who has time to worry about their skin in the sun when your baby has her mind set on eating half the beach?
READ MORE: Why do you need to protect your skin on a cloudy day?
Notice how Arbor has one hand going in with sand while I clean off the other. We were lucky that Annabelle disliked the taste.
Another thing Annabelle does not like is when the sun in her eyes. It’s hard to find a sun safe hat she will actually wear since she is all about pink bows and ballerina buns. We couldn’t believe Annabelle’s enthusiasm over a cheerful mermaid print hat though. A moisture-wicking terry cloth sweatband lines the inside of the sun safe hat to keep moisture out of her eyes and the sun off of her head.
You can find out favorite sun safe clothing and sun protection swimwear for kids here.
I feel a certain peace of mind knowing we are protected from the sun on another level with UV Skinz. UV Skinz clothing carries a UPF rating of 50+, so their products block over 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. Brandon and I hate having to worry to reapply sunscreen or that we’ve missed a spot on our backs. This pink striped half zip rash guard and Brandon’s white short sleeve rash guards take a little bit of stress off our shoulders (literally).
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