5 ms·

Best to wear a hat with a brim and a long sleeved shirt.

jcims 1y ago
I started wearing a cheap sombrero while doing yard work in the summer. It's a game changer. Going to Mexico this winter and hoping to find some nice ones to bring home.
- brewdad 1y ago
  This summer I started following the lead of my tour guides in Mexico and the local day laborers. Both favor spandex arm sleeves that are remarkably breathable and can be put on or removed as conditions change. They have been great for hiking and kayaking, though the maker warns that they aren't as effective if they get fully wet.
  - humanlion87 1y ago
    I live in North America and use full sleeve sun hoodies for hiking in the summer. I sweat a lot but these hoodies are breathable enough that it doesn't bother me. So I need to apply sun screen only on my palms and fingers. And paired with a wide brim hat, I can get away with applying sunscreen only to the lower part of my face and neck.
    - skeeter2020 1y ago
      Applying sunscreen to your palms? And if your still applying it to "the lower part of my face and neck" what's the savings from doing the upper at the same time (plus this will get your palms & fingers too, if that's your jam)?
adamors 1y ago
Agreed, I’ve picked up an UPF 50+ shirt that can be used for swimming as well, I’m much more comfortable on the beach now. Dries as fast as any swimwear.
- umeshunni 1y ago
  How do you know that the shirt shirt is correct SPF?
  - jerlam 1y ago
    Sun protective clothing is measured and given a UPF rating. SPF ratings are only for sunscreens.
dsego 1y ago
Is mineral sunscreen a safer bet than regular sunscreen, since it physical blocks the sunrays?
- loeg 1y ago
  No.
- y2bd 1y ago
  This is pretty widely held misconception. Today's chemical and mineral sunscreens both primarily operate through UV absorption rather than reflection: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250718-which-kind-of-sunscreen-should-you-use https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250718-which-kind-of-su...
- stevage 1y ago
  No. I saw a good video on this recently. Essentially there is no fundamental difference in efficacy between different active ingredients.
- MengerSponge 1y ago
  Maybe? But it's probably easier to wipe or sweat off. I'm also a huge fan of mechanical sun protection (hats, sun shirts, rash guards, etc etc)
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- DrSAR 1y ago
  no. there might be some mild advantages (less environmental damage? also protection from excessive IR+VIS?) But in the published testdata listed above there are mineral sunscreens promising 50 SPF and not getting there either. Combined with the often more difficult application you might end up with even less protection. So buyer beware (or wear hats and shirts).
- reducesuffering 1y ago
  It's not "safer" from the sun, but could be safer from side effects of the chemicals used in typical sunscreen. The FDA listed 12 typical sunscreen ingredients, such as avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone, as not currently having sufficient data to be recognized as safe and effective. They're absorbed into the bloodstream and studies have found them to persist for weeks. Based on current data, the FDA categorized only two sunscreen ingredients as safe and effective, the mineral-based ones: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which don't permeate the skin much. "Although the protective action of sunscreen products takes place on the surface of the skin, there is new evidence that at least some sunscreen active ingredients are absorbed through the skin and enter the body. This makes it important for FDA to determine whether, and to what extent, exposure to certain sunscreen ingredients may be associated with any safety risks. FDA has requested data from industry to confirm the safety of sunscreen active ingredients."[0] [0] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicin...
Salgat 1y ago
I bought a uv a+b meter and unfortunately shade, while helping a lot, is still way above levels that cause sun damage. The sun jacket though is a very good idea. I use one myself.
andrepd 1y ago
Should we go swimming with a hat? :) I'm white enough that 5 mins of near midday sun gives me sunburns. In summer spf >30 is a must. Even day to day some sunscreen on my face and neck is a must.
- stevage 1y ago
  Yes. I do! If I'm mucking around in the water at the beach I'm in long sleeve top, hat and sunglasses.
  - cortesoft 1y ago
    That's wading, not swimming
    - stevage 1y ago
      Honestly, that's what I wear when swimming.
- brewdad 1y ago
  I opt for sunscreen on my head and legs. Coverage for the rest of my body. I also wear a hat when feasible.
- stephen_g 1y ago
  Probably says a lot about where people live. The OP’s advice is a recipe for still getting skin cancer here (we get a max UV index at or over 11 every day for months where I live) - sunscreen is unavoidable to stay safe for a lot of the country because even little bits of incidental exposure add up. Whereas if you’re in the northern parts of US/Europe it’s probably OK.
  - globular-toast 1y ago
    I thought it was only sunburn that was dangerous rather than incidental exposure. This has been the advice for years now, has it changed?
globular-toast 1y ago
Yep. I hate wearing suncream. Hate the feeling of it and the smell. I often spend all day in the sun on long walks so I do as you say: cover up. I've recently got a peaked cap with a neck guard to try as well. If you're a man especially you might as well just start wearing a hat because the thick hair probably won't last forever! One tip I got from South Africa is when you find shade take your hat off as you cool down a lot through your head.
KolibriFly 1y ago
Bonus: they don't expire

I started wearing a cheap sombrero while doing yard work in the summer. It's a game changer. Going to Mexico this winter and hoping to find some nice ones to bring home.

brewdad 1y ago
This summer I started following the lead of my tour guides in Mexico and the local day laborers. Both favor spandex arm sleeves that are remarkably breathable and can be put on or removed as conditions change. They have been great for hiking and kayaking, though the maker warns that they aren't as effective if they get fully wet.
- humanlion87 1y ago
  I live in North America and use full sleeve sun hoodies for hiking in the summer. I sweat a lot but these hoodies are breathable enough that it doesn't bother me. So I need to apply sun screen only on my palms and fingers. And paired with a wide brim hat, I can get away with applying sunscreen only to the lower part of my face and neck.
  - skeeter2020 1y ago
    Applying sunscreen to your palms? And if your still applying it to "the lower part of my face and neck" what's the savings from doing the upper at the same time (plus this will get your palms & fingers too, if that's your jam)?

adamors 1y ago

Agreed, I’ve picked up an UPF 50+ shirt that can be used for swimming as well, I’m much more comfortable on the beach now. Dries as fast as any swimwear.

umeshunni 1y ago
How do you know that the shirt shirt is correct SPF?
- jerlam 1y ago
  Sun protective clothing is measured and given a UPF rating. SPF ratings are only for sunscreens.

dsego 1y ago

Is mineral sunscreen a safer bet than regular sunscreen, since it physical blocks the sunrays?

loeg 1y ago
No.
y2bd 1y ago
This is pretty widely held misconception. Today's chemical and mineral sunscreens both primarily operate through UV absorption rather than reflection: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250718-which-kind-of-sunscreen-should-you-use https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250718-which-kind-of-su...
stevage 1y ago
No. I saw a good video on this recently. Essentially there is no fundamental difference in efficacy between different active ingredients.
MengerSponge 1y ago
Maybe? But it's probably easier to wipe or sweat off. I'm also a huge fan of mechanical sun protection (hats, sun shirts, rash guards, etc etc)
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
DrSAR 1y ago
no. there might be some mild advantages (less environmental damage? also protection from excessive IR+VIS?) But in the published testdata listed above there are mineral sunscreens promising 50 SPF and not getting there either. Combined with the often more difficult application you might end up with even less protection. So buyer beware (or wear hats and shirts).
reducesuffering 1y ago
It's not "safer" from the sun, but could be safer from side effects of the chemicals used in typical sunscreen. The FDA listed 12 typical sunscreen ingredients, such as avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone, as not currently having sufficient data to be recognized as safe and effective. They're absorbed into the bloodstream and studies have found them to persist for weeks. Based on current data, the FDA categorized only two sunscreen ingredients as safe and effective, the mineral-based ones: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which don't permeate the skin much. "Although the protective action of sunscreen products takes place on the surface of the skin, there is new evidence that at least some sunscreen active ingredients are absorbed through the skin and enter the body. This makes it important for FDA to determine whether, and to what extent, exposure to certain sunscreen ingredients may be associated with any safety risks. FDA has requested data from industry to confirm the safety of sunscreen active ingredients."[0] [0] https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicin...

Salgat 1y ago

I bought a uv a+b meter and unfortunately shade, while helping a lot, is still way above levels that cause sun damage. The sun jacket though is a very good idea. I use one myself.

andrepd 1y ago

Should we go swimming with a hat? :) I'm white enough that 5 mins of near midday sun gives me sunburns. In summer spf >30 is a must. Even day to day some sunscreen on my face and neck is a must.

stevage 1y ago
Yes. I do! If I'm mucking around in the water at the beach I'm in long sleeve top, hat and sunglasses.
- cortesoft 1y ago
  That's wading, not swimming
  - stevage 1y ago
    Honestly, that's what I wear when swimming.
brewdad 1y ago
I opt for sunscreen on my head and legs. Coverage for the rest of my body. I also wear a hat when feasible.
stephen_g 1y ago
Probably says a lot about where people live. The OP’s advice is a recipe for still getting skin cancer here (we get a max UV index at or over 11 every day for months where I live) - sunscreen is unavoidable to stay safe for a lot of the country because even little bits of incidental exposure add up. Whereas if you’re in the northern parts of US/Europe it’s probably OK.
- globular-toast 1y ago
  I thought it was only sunburn that was dangerous rather than incidental exposure. This has been the advice for years now, has it changed?

globular-toast 1y ago

Yep. I hate wearing suncream. Hate the feeling of it and the smell. I often spend all day in the sun on long walks so I do as you say: cover up. I've recently got a peaked cap with a neck guard to try as well. If you're a man especially you might as well just start wearing a hat because the thick hair probably won't last forever! One tip I got from South Africa is when you find shade take your hat off as you cool down a lot through your head.

KolibriFly 1y ago

Bonus: they don't expire