Sun Safety Center

Dr. Linda Franks, a leading New York dermatologist, emphasizes that light-colored cotton clothing often does not adequately protect your skin from the damaging UV rays of the sun. According to Dr. Franks, a typical white cotton T-shirt only provides a UPF of 5 or less. This is significantly less protection for your skin than the recommended UPF of 15. "It is especially important to protect our children's skin from harmful UV rays since more than 80% of skin damage occurs by the age of 18," says Dr. Franks. A mother of four, Dr. Franks recommends including SunGuard as part of your family's regular sun protection routine.

Making Your Clothes Sun Protective

SunGuard washes an invisible sun shield into your clothes. You can't see it, feel it or smell it, but SunGuard will protect you from damaging UVA and UVB rays. SunGuard is safe for washable fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon and silk. Simply add SunGuard to the washing machine, follow the fabric care instructions on your clothes and use the hottest water safe for your fabric. Allow at least 15 minutes of agitation or soaking time then rinse and dry as usual.

Note: When treating your clothes with SunGuard, avoid using chlorine bleach. You can add bleach to later washes and it won't effect the protection you've already washed in.

Sun Safety Tips from the National Cancer Foundation

Dressing for sun protection is one more way to prevent exposure to the sun's damaging UV rays. In addition to wearing clothing treated with SunGuard, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends following these sun-smart tips:

• Minimize sun exposure during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the sun is strongest. Try to plan your outdoor activities for the early morning and late afternoon.
• Wear a hat, long-sleeved shirt and long pants when out in the sun. Choose tightly woven materials for greater protection from the sun's rays.
• Apply Sunscreen before every exposure to the sun. Reapply frequently, at least every two hours, as long as you stay in the sun. Sunscreen should always be reapplied after swimming or perspiring heavily, since products differ in their degrees of water resistance. We recommend sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or more printed on the label*.
• Don't forget to use your sunscreen on overcast days. The sun's rays are as damaging to your skin on cloudy, hazy days as they are on sunny days.
• Keep young infants out of the sun. Begin using sunscreens on children at six months of age and then allow sun exposure with moderation.
• Teach children sun protection early. Sun damage occurs with each unprotected sun exposure and accumulates over the course of a lifetime.

* The Skin Cancer Foundation grants its Seal of Recommendation to sunscreen products of SPF 15 or greater and sun protection devices which meet the Foundation's criteria as "aids in the prevention of sun-induced damage to the skin." For a complete list of products or to receive additional information about skin cancer visit: www.skincancer.org or call 1-800-SKIN-490.