Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well

Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing, made of tightly woven cotton has been the desert dwellers' sun protection secret for thousands of years.

But today, with all the "sun paranoia" we're hearing about, what kind of clothing can you get that's sun-smart, but still looks good? Does modern science have the answer, or is it just plain old-fashioned common sense?

Recently, so-called "high-tech fabrics" have come along, claiming to protect the wearer from the harmful effects of the sun. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even allowed one manufacturer in 1993 to market its fabric with an SPF 30+ rating. But the FDA, after being besieged with dozens of applications from fabric makers, backed away from issuing further clearance regarding SPF claims, stating FDA's business is to regulate serious medical devices such as heart pumps, not sun apparel.

So what fabric is best, and how can you get the sun protection you need? Shedding some light on the subject, Dr. Ernst Epstein, a San Francisco area dermatologist and author of the book Common Skin Disorders, said, "All I know is this: The more tightly woven the fabric the better. If you hold your fabric up to the sun, and you can see rays of sunlight, you're not getting sufficient sun protection."

Whatever you wear out in the sun, make sure it's comfortable, breathable, loose-fitting and made from tightly woven fabric. Sun-smart apparel is not about trendy new fabrics. It's about quality construction of well-designed clothing that keeps the sun off your skin and keeps you cool and comfortable.

Once you've suited up for fun in the sun, what else can you do to have more fun longer under the bright rays? First of all, don't forget your sun screen; SPF 30 is recommended. Then, how about pocket-sized pop-up sun hats? Or portable sun-shades that give you upper-body protection in your lounge chair or at the beach? Or sun-sensitive stickers you can put anywhere that turn bright purple when it's time to get out of the sun?

Whatever you choose to wear, remember, nobody can tell you what a safe amount of sun actually is. The more you can keep the sun away from direct contact with your skin, the less chance you may have of developing skin disorders. Buy clothing that protects your skin, makes you look good, feels comfortable and keeps you cool when you're out and about.