Sun
Protective Bathing Suits
So what is
all this hoopla about sun
protective swimsuits? The
following report includes some
fascinating information about
tanning and sun protective
swimwear--info you can use, not
just the old stuff they used to
tell you.
Summer is
the season of fun at the beach
and there is plenty of sunlight
making it imperative to put on
sun protective swimwear . Whilst
the great pastime time during
this period is sun bathing, the
greatest danger lurking along
beaches and swimming pools is
ultra violet rays from the
sun.
Ultra
violet rays are emissions from
the sun that has the potential of
causing damage to unprotected
skin surface.
Sun
protective swimwear is clothing
that we put on to fend off the
negative effects that these
radiations can have on the
body.
|
|
The
manufacture of sun
protective swimwear is
an elaborate process.
Although the clothes
themselves are made up
of ordinary, everyday
fabrics, it is the
lining and the special
treatment of the clothes
that turn them into sun
protective
swimwear.
One
technology is to use
durable, breathable,
lightweight, and very
comfortable fabric with
a 4-way stretch.
The
inner part of the fabric
is lined with the ultra
violet light protective
coating. If the sun
protective swimwear is
going to be used for
swimming in a pool, then
it is made from chlorine
resistant swim
fabric.
|
For people
who are highly sensitive to
sunrays or photosensitive skin or
skin cancer, the choice is
high-SPF clothing. These contain
containing colorless compounds,
and treated resins that absorb
ultra violet light.
The essence
of sun protective swimwear is to
reflect as much as possible, the
dangerous ultra violet rays from
the sun as much as possible. This
means, shiny, silky or reflective
clothing are the best.
Another
technique is to use tightly woven
micro fiber containing enhanced
titanium dioxide which diffuses
ultra violet light and CoolMax
mesh to ensure ventilation and
moisture management.
There are
several types of sun protective
swimwear products available.
There are some for babies, some
for men and some for women.
Between these we have ordinary
and high end designer swimwear.
Although all of them have the
protection against the sun, there
are vast differences in quality
of fabric, design and
appearance.
There are
some sun protective swimwear that
cover the entire body and some
that are just top wear, shorts or
pants.
With the
high end fashion, you can have
two, three and even sometimes
four piece sun protective
swimwear with a hat or sunglasses
to match.
Of
increasing popularity is men's
sun protective swimwear
comprising of a shirt, shorts and
matching glasses. These products
are both in the regular version
and high end fashion.
Before we
get on to why we need sun
protective swimwear , it may be
helpful to look at ultra violet
rays. Ultraviolet rays (UV) or
radiation is the invisible rays
that are part of the energy that
comes from the sun. UV radiation
can damage the skin, cause
melanoma and other types of skin
cancer. There are two types of UV
rays - there is the UVA which
causes ordinary sun burn and the
UVB which penetrate deeper into
the skin to cause melanoma and
other types of skin
cancer.
Physiologically,
overexposure to UV radiation can
disturb the body's immune system
and the skin's natural defenses.
Once you
begin to move beyond basic
background information, you begin
to realize that there's more to
sun protective swimsuits than you
may have first thought.
Sun
protective swimwear offers you a
kind of filtering against these
harmful rays. People most
susceptible to these rays are
those with light clothing and in
areas where there is no overhead
protection like the beach. Sun
protective swimwear is also
needed during summer when the sun
shines a lot and consequently
emits more ultra violet
rays.
If you
are interested in the
stats,
•
1.3 million New cases of skin
cancer are diagnosed each
year.
•
One in five Americans will
contract skin
cancer.
•
Malignant melanoma, the worst
form of skin cancer, has
increased 1,800% since
1930
It is
likely that many patients can
save themselves the discomfort of
these illnesses by putting on
some sun protective swimwear
.
You need
to exercise a lot of discretion
in buying protective
swimwear.
Sun
protective swimwear is
categorized per UPF rating. UPF
is the amount of radiation that
can pass through the clothing.
For example, a fabric with a UPF
rating of 15 will permit one
fifteenth of the UVR to pass
through it and a UPF 20 fabric,
one twentieth of the UVR to pass
through it. What this mean is,
depending your skin sensitivity,
you will go for the clothing that
suits your skin type, and of
course, how long you will be
exposed to the sun.
It is also
important to consider weave type.
Generally, the tighter the weave
or knit, the better the
protection against the
sun.
The less
the light that can pass through
the clothing, the better. To test
porosity, you can hold the sun
protective swimwear against the
sun and see how much light comes
through.
Darker
clothes should also be preferred
against lighter
clothes.
The price
of a sun protective swimwear
ranges from $49.95 upwards and
there are several shops offering
regular and high end fashion sun
protective swimwear.
Sun
protective swimwear can be pretty
expensive and therefore need a
lot of care to prolong their
life. Here are a few tips on how
to care for them:
Avoid
oil-based suntan lotions which
can stain the fabric and cause it
to stretch. Stretching increases
porosity and consequently permits
more UV light to come
through.
Soak
clothes in vinegar to prevent
fading which permits more light
to come through the
clothes.
Chlorine
can interact with the sun
protective swimwear and damage
it. Try to soak your body wet
before jumping into the pool to
minimize the chemical reaction
with the chlorine in the
pool.
Enjoy the
sun, tan as you want but be
mindful of the danger of UV - put
on your sun protective swimwear
and save your beautiful skin
There's no
doubt that the topic of sun
protective swimsuits can be
fascinating. If you still have
unanswered questions about
tanning, tanning beds or sun
protective swimsuits, you may
find what you're looking for in
one of our future articles.
About the Author
For more swimwear information,
please visit http://www.beach-gear.info
Article
presented by Bob
Pardue
|
