Extreme Sun Protection Tips
The Sun is Highly Reflective, Even in the Shade
At the beach, on the ski slope, or in a desert, you need much more protection than usual.
Ground surfaces (e.g. pavement, sand, snow) reflect most UV rays. Snow can reflect as much as 80% of UV; sand 17%.
Those reflected UV rays go right back to your face and any exposed skin on your body. This is why you will still tan on a beach even if you’re under an umbrella. Likewise, being in the shade doesn’t mean you’re immune to UV. UV will still reflect off the ground into your face.
You also need more protection if you live at a higher elevation, as the rays are more intense.
Use the strongest sunscreen you can find – a Zinc Oxide 15% or higher sunscreen would be best.
Cover up. The most important areas to cover are the face, neck, decollete, and hands. The skin on these areas will age faster.
Sun Protection Clothing & Accessories
These days, you can buy sun protective clothing and accessories with fabrics treated by UVR absorbers (built-in UVB +UVA protection). They are labeled with a UPF rating. Go for the highest UPF you can find (UPF 50 or over).
UPF fabrics are such an easy way to give yourself added protection. Unlike a sunscreen slathered onto your face, there is no additional discomfort from choosing a higher UPF.
Sun Protection Clothing & Accessories:
- Hats
- Gloves
- Arm Sleeves
- Face Masks/Covers
- Scarves
- Shawls
- Shirts
- Wraps/Sarongs
- Everyday Umbrellas/Parasols
- Beach Umbrellas
You can even add UV protectant ingredients into your own clothes (via a special laundry detergent, such as SunGuard, in the washer).
Choose a wide-brimmed hat (4” brim ideal). Fabrics with a tight weave are better at blocking out the rays. So are darker colored fabrics.
If you are extremely photosensitive (to sun or light), the Sun 1 blog offers comprehensive advice on how to protect yourself.
You Need Sun Protection While Driving Too
If you spend a lot of time in the car, wear driving gloves. Even better, put sunscreen on your hands AND wear gloves.
Age spots appear on our hands when we get older, and these are very hard to remove. It’s so much easier preventing their appearance than trying to get rid of them later. For driving, I recommend a thick, opaque physical sunscreen for the hands.
My Secret – I wear gloves whenever I drive, even if it’s just a short distance. Any gloves with a tight weave will do. Mine are a cotton-stretch blend, which I buy from equestrian supply catalogs. Here is an example: the SSG Gripper (paid link).
Equestrian gloves have a pimple grip that prevent your hands from slipping on the steering wheel. You can get ones that are inexpensive (less than $8 per pair). A very good investment and one of my must-have products.