Does your Hat Protect you?

The sun is out, you slather on the sunblock, grab your sunglasses, your hat and out for the day you go. You made every effort to be protect yourself from the damaging effects of the sun, but is it enough. More than likely the answer is NO. To be effective in protecting yourself from UV rays you must know the lingo. Many hats today advertise UPF protective, but if you don't know what this terms mean, how are you helping yourself. UPF, stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. A UPF rating is granted to apparel or gear that has been tested and proven to block a certain amount of ultraviolet radiation. Like everything, there are classification categories that tell us what is good, very good, or excellent protection. An UPF rating of 50 is considered excellent, this rating will block 97.5-98% of Ultraviolet rays. If something is advertised UPF 15, this is considered good protection blocking 93-95% of UV rays. Another key factor to maximize your protection is the size of the brim of your hat. The American Cancer Society recommends a 2" brim all the way around a hat for protection. With this knowledge you now know that a baseball cap is not a sufficient source to protect you form the harmful rays of the sun. Next time you grab your sunglasses, sunblock and hat you will certainly have the knowledge to maximize your protection.