Excessive exposure to sunlight increases the risk of skin cancers and accelerates aging of the skin. As a dermatologist in Hong Kong, we would like to emphasize that this doesn’t not mean you need to give up outdoor activities or things you enjoy – we just have to protect ourselves appropriately.

Despite the development of sunscreens, clothing remains a very important way to protect skin against the harmful effects of the sun:

• Can cover large areas of the body quickly, fewer missed spots

• Cannot be rubbed off or washed off, and no need to reapply as is the case with sunscreens

• Clothing provides better protection against the sun than sunscreens, particularly against long UVA radiation and visible light

• In young children, as they have a larger surface area to volume ratio than adults, using large amounts of chemical sunscreens can be a concern, thus clothing should be the mainstay of protection from the sun

The following factors affect the sun protection capabilities of clothing:

1. Wool, polyester, blends generally offer better sun protection

2. Dark-colored clothes provide higher sun protection compared to light-colored ones.

3. Tighter weaves and thicker fabrics offer better protection.

4. Stretching of the fabric reduces protection level.

5. Long sleeve provides greater coverage.

6. Dry fabric provides better protection than wet fabric.

Do I need to buy special sun protection clothing?

Hong Kong Dermatology Clinic, is committed to offering evidence-based skincare guidance to help you maintain healthy skin. Many activewear items of clothing have labels SPF / UPF. Most of these have a SPF / UPF of over 50. These would be desirable if you are spending prolonged periods under the sun with single-layer clothing or will be getting wet, as then you can be sure of the protection you are receiving. However, in cold weather, when are you are already wearing something thick, “ordinary” clothing can already provide very good protection – denim jeans can block out 100% of UV radiation

Sun Protection by Ladies Stockings

At 15 denier, SPF is only 1.2 with ivory and 1.5 with black stockings • At 40 denier, SPF is around 3 It is better wear trousers to protect your legs if you are prone to skin cancers!