One in three cancer diagnoses is for skin cancer. This illness is, however, not just the world’s most common form of cancer. Skin cancer is a form of cancer that has become increasingly common in recent years. Within the last 10 years, the number of cases of skin cancer in Germany has almost doubled. Yet the risk is still seriously underestimated. There are, however, ways to protect oneself from the insidious danger.
Skin cancer is often caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) from the sun. However, not everyone is affected by the risk to the same extent. Depending on the skin type, a person can tolerate more or less sun radiation. In principle: people with fairer skin should spend less time in the sun and use greater protection. In the summer, children and infants should not be, or only briefly be, exposed to direct sun around lunchtime.
The risk of skin cancer is also dependent on geography. In the mountains, the risk increases constantly with the height. In higher locations, the weakening of UV radiation by the atmosphere is less so that the exposure to UV increases. The position of the sun is also important for the risk of skin cancer: the higher the position of the sun, the shorter the path of the sunlight through the atmosphere, and thus the stronger the damage to the skin by UV radiation. This means, in turn: the risk is reduced when the sun is lower, thus in the morning and afternoon/evening.
Reflected sunlight is a further UV risk for our skin. Reflection surfaces can be water surfaces, complete snow coverage, white building façades or light sandy beaches.
However, the sun is ultimately to thank for all forms of life on Earth. And as humans we also need sunlight – to create essential vitamin D and form our bones, among other things. We cannot manage without it, however, we should protect ourselves from too much exposure. But how can we reasonably protect ourselves from too much sun or too much UV radiation?
In addition to standard sun protection cream, although their maximum sun protection factor (SPF) is 50, dermatologists also recommend wearing clothing that covers the body, including a hat with a wide brim.
However, modern UV protective textiles with high SPF protection provide the most effective protection. They offer a UV protection factor (UPF) of up to 80. This is also sufficient to allow fair-skinned people to spend all day in the sun.
However, the test standards used for the textile should also be taken into account. Look for the label “UV Standard 801” which is backed by the member institutes of the International Test Association for Applied Protection against UV Radiation to which Hohenstein belongs.
This year, the label is celebrating its 20-year anniversary. The high test standards are recognized around the world because the textiles are also tested in wet, stretched and in used states during the UV Standard 801 test process. For this reason, look for the UV Standard 801 label when purchasing UV protective textiles.