Guidelines for Protection

Eye Protection

Sunglasses are not just a fashion accessory.  Sunglasses offer excellent protection for your eyes.  Like your skin, your eyes are at risk of damage and trauma if exposed to too much UV radiation or "UV."

When buying sunglasses, you can gauge their effectiveness by checking the swing tag on the sunglasses to ensure lenses block out 95% of UV.  Polychromatic or colored glasses are less effective in blocking out UV. Polarizing lenses reduce glare substantially and are favored by many people for comfort, but polarization itself has little effect on the UV-absorbing properties of lenses.  Similarly, mirror finishes by themselves do not significantly reduce UV absorption.

Correct use of sunglasses should begin during childhood, but no one is too old to begin wearing them.  If you wear corrective lenses, you should add UV-protective coating or obtain prescription sunglasses if you spend significant periods outside.  You can buy protective shades to attach to your glasses or sunglasses that you can wear over your corrective lenses.

Tanning Protection

Suntan lotion is used to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet radiation or 'UV'.  When choosing a sunscreen that will protect you, there are a few things you should know:

• No sunscreen offers 100% protection from the sun’s damaging UV.  Even with sunscreen, UV will still get through to the fragile upper and lower layers of your skin.
• Sunscreen should always be used in conjunction with other forms of protection like hats, sunglasses, clothing and shade.
• Sun protection factor (SPF) 30+ sunscreen offers you maximum protection from the sun, blocking out 96% of UV.  SPF 15+ will block out 93%.
• Using SPF 30+ instead of SPF 15+ does not mean you can safely double the amount of time you spend in the sun.  Never use sunscreen to extend the amount of time you would normally spend in the sun.
• For sunscreen to be effective at protecting you from sunburn, slop it on 20 minutes before going outside.  This gives the protective elements in sunscreen time to bond to your skin.  Don’t rub it in--a light film should stay visible.  Remember to reapply every two hours or more regularly if swimming or sweating a lot.
• If you experience a reaction to sunscreen, experiment with other brands first, before giving sunscreen away.  It is often the fragrances or moisturizers in sunscreen that cause skin irritation.  Try sensitive skin formulas or brands especially made for children.

Protective Clothing

Appropriately designed clothing is great for protecting you from the sun.  Choose clothes that cover the arms, legs and neck to ensure you are properly protected.  Go for long sleeves, collars and if possible long pants or skirts.  You won’t get hot or uncomfortable if you choose lightweight fabrics like cotton, hemp or linen.  The tests on clothing show that most polyester/cotton and cotton clothing items protect against 95% of ultraviolet radiation or 'UV'.  Some factors can reduce the UV protection of your clothing.  If your clothing gets wet, fades or is a few years old, its ability to shade against UV will be reduced.

If you are looking for very high sun protective clothing - for outdoor work, bushwalking or for sport - choose dark colors, as they are better at absorbing UV than light colors.

 

What is UV Radiation?

UV Index

Effects of Sunlight

Guidelines for Protection

Sun Quiz