Thick or thin sun protection clothing blocks UV rays better?

The thicker the sun protection shirt, the better it blocks UV rays, protects the skin from the sun and protects the skin, is that right? (Suong, 22 years old, Dong Nai).

Reply:

A good sun protection shirt does not depend on how thick or thin the shirt is, or how many layers you wear, but on the material. This is an important factor in choosing a good sun protection shirt.

Specifically, shirts made from jeans, cotton, and shirts with a high-sun protection nano coating all prevent UV rays from damaging the skin. Many shirts are made from specialized sun protection materials, with skin-soothing active ingredients, helping to prevent skin irritation upon contact.

In case of naked eye observation, you can check the level of coverage through the distance between the fabric fibers. The tighter the fabric fibers are woven together, the less gaps there are, the better the fabric quality, the higher the sun protection ability will be.

You can put the fabric out in the sun. If the sunlight passes through a lot, the distance between the fabric fibers is sparse, the level of sun protection will decrease. In addition, you can choose a dark-colored shirt to help block UV rays, sun protection is more effective than light-colored shirts.

However, you should not depend on clothing but need to combine many methods such as fully covering up when going out, avoiding rush hour, applying sunscreen, and taking sunscreen pills.

You should choose a quality cream that is suitable for your skin area and skin type (oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin...). The rule for applying cream is to apply it at least 20 minutes before going out in the sun, and reapply it after two to three hours. Prioritize areas that are directly exposed to sunlight. If possible, apply sunscreen to your arms, legs, and body. You should apply sunscreen even when you are indoors.

Doctor Le Thai Van Thanh
Head of Dermatology - Dermatology Aesthetics Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City

Source link