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| DollarWise | Don't get burned on sun protection
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Also, brightening agents that absorb UV are present in most laundry detergents, Hatch says. This means that the more you launder, the more they're deposited on your cotton and cotton-polyester blends, and the more protection you'll have. "By the time you've laundered the thing 10 or 15 times, you've got some great protection," Hatch says. Also, washing your clothes shrinks them, she points out -- tightening the weave and boosting your protection.
Cost: No added costs, provided you already own clothing with these properties. But as your protection stops where the fabric does, you'll also likely need sunscreen or sun block.
Better protection from laundry
If the thought of a long-sleeve denim shirt in summer makes you cringe, you'll be happy to know you can boost the sun-protection of your favorite cotton top. Rit Sun Guard is a laundry rinse that adds UV blocking to your clothes equivalent to SPF 30 sunscreen. Unlike standard detergents, which can take several launderings to improve clothes' sun protection, Sun Guard boosts the SPF of clothing in the first wash, Hatch notes. Not only is it fairly inexpensive, but it also reportedly doesn't change the smell, texture or colors of your clothes. According to the Rit Web site, you only need to use the rinse once every 20 washes.
Cost: $20 for a six-pack of one-ounce boxes (each box good for one wash) at Dermadoctor.com . It's also available through many drug and grocery stores such as Albertson's and Kroger.
Special UV-blocking clothing
You've probably noticed more shirts and cover-ups hanging from store racks that claim to have special sun-blocking abilities. Many of them sport names that are plays on "sun" and "safety" and prominently display UPF or SPF ratings. UPF ratings were developed specifically for clothing, though Hatch says they basically mean the same thing as an SPF rating. Some of the clothing has been specially treated, sometimes with titanium dioxide, and others are simply using tightly woven polyester fabrics to boost their sun protection.
ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, has developed voluntary standards for labeling and testing these fabrics, but there's no enforcement to ensure that these products live up to their claims. "You could put anything on (the clothes labels) you wanted to," says Hatch, who previously chaired the ASTM committee that developed the labeling standards. Even so, she thinks most of the products are legitimate. "It seems to me that the people who are involved in manufacturing UV-protective clothes are being pretty responsible."
The Federal Trade Commission's Nadine Samter, who also participated on the ASTM committee, concurs. "Once we came up with these voluntary guidelines, we haven't really checked that they're complying with them." This is due to a number of reasons, not the least of which is that the FTC isn't really set up to test products, she says. Instead, the FTC would rely on competitors within the industry to report any possible wrongdoings, something she hadn't heard of as yet.
As more of these products find their way onto the market, Hatch recommends sticking with more established manufacturers such as Coolibar and Sun Precautions -- if you're going to buy them at all.
Both Bank and Hatch say that for the average person, these products probably aren't necessary.
"When it comes to the manufacturers who are making (UPF) claims, their garments really, really cost a lot and there are other ways to protect your skin," Hatch says.
Cost: This men's long-sleeve UPF 50+ polo shirt by Coolibar retails for almost $60, but we easily found a similarly styled shirt for half that from Eddie Bauer. Adding $3.33 for the cost to wash it in Rit Sun Guard still preserves a hefty savings. And truly, the Eddie Bauer shirt shouldn't bear the whole cost of the Rit rinse, since you'll also treat a number of your other wardrobe items in the same laundry load. (If you don't mind opting for less well-known UV-blocking manufacturers, you can reportedly find cheaper options in discount and drug stores in warmer climates, though we were unable to confirm this.)
Still, both Hatch and Bank are quick to point out that these clothes can make sense for people who are especially sun sensitive, possibly due to medications or other medical treatments. "For somebody who is more sun sensitive, who has a family history of skin cancer or is lightly complected, the SPF clothing will probably offer a little bit more protection," Dr. Bank says. "I do think there's a place for it. But do I think everyone on the planet needs to wear it 365 days a year? No."
| Sun protection 101 | | Sun-blocking tool | Pros | Cons | Cost | | Sunscreen | Readily available, easy to use and fairly inexpensive; variety of SPFs. | Even high SPF-rated sun screens require reapplication throughout the day; though they've improved over the years, they can still be messy/greasy. | $6.50 for a 16-ounce bottle of SPF 15 No-Ad. | | Regular clothing | No added costs; provided you choose what you wear with sun protection in mind. | The very properties that often block sunlight, e.g., dark colors and tight weaves, can make these clothes hot and uncomfortable in the summer. | $30 for a long-sleeved polo shirt from Eddie Bauer. |
Rit Sun Guard | Can be used with your existing wardrobe, including cooler clothing more hospitable in the summer heat; equivalent to SPF/UPF 30. | Not permanent; obviously wont protect you where the fabric ends (e.g., if you wear short sleeves). | $20 for six loads of laundry (though each treatment lasts 20 washings). | | UV-blocking clothes | New technology allows clothes with UV protection to be made in lighter-weight fabrics; available up to UPF ratings of 50+. | Can be somewhat pricey. | $60 for a long-sleeved, men's Coolibar polo shirt with UPF 50+. |
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