Testimonials For Years, people who worry about skin cancer have been covering themselves with sunscreen. The clothing is made with tight woven fabrics that physically and in some cases chemically block most of the sun's harmful rays.
Dermatologists are enthusiastic about blocking the sun with clothing.
It appears to be very effective in achieving what we'd like, and there's no question that a single layer of a T-shirt or a short sleeve shirt does not protect very well. The rate of all types of skin cancers has doubled since 1980, making the need to avoid the sun greater than ever. That is because so many skin cancers occur on the head and neck, with one-third of all skin cancers occuring on the nose. While everyone can benefit from clothes and sunscreen of an SPF, or sun protective factor, of at least 15 on all exposed areas, some people need to be particularly cautious, Dr. Sams said. Dr. Rigel said this drops to an SPF of only about 3 if the shirt gets wet.