You see them more and more: children on the beach, dressed in UV-resistant clothing. Experts applaud its use, but what makes these garments more effective against sunlight than a ‘regular’ T-shirt? And does regular greasing not have the same effect? Just a little hint: no, it doesn’t.
By: Sanne WoltersMore than a quarter of children between the ages of four and twelve were sunburnt in 2019, figures from the Dutch Cancer Society show. Children’s skin is especially vulnerable to sunburn, says dermatologist and skin cancer expert Daniel Kadouch. “Children’s skin is thinner and contains less pigment, and is therefore more vulnerable to UV radiation. They can burn faster and more easily.”
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If the skin burns more than five times, the risk of developing melanoma later in life is doubled. That is why it is extra important that you protect your children well against the sun. To make that a bit easier, Kadouch developed a line of UV-resistant clothing: Tenue de Soleil. “Of course I want my products to sell well, but first and foremost I want to do something about the skin cancer epidemic that is going on right now.”
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In 2021 there were more than 80,000 cases of skin cancer in the Netherlands. It is the most common cancer and accounts for half of all cases. Kadouch: “At the moment one in five people gets skin cancer. That is now rising to one in four. If you catch it early, skin cancer can often be treated well.”
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We as dermatologists see the numbers rising, I’m not going to sit around and wait for everyone to get used to the idea of UV shirts.
The lighter and thinner a garment, the less it protects you
Putting sunscreen on your kids isn’t enough to help prevent skin cancer, says Kadouch. “Sunscreen is often not applied properly and is quickly removed by sweating or swimming in children.” UV-resistant clothing takes a lot of worries away from parents.
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“With the right combination of colour, weave and composition, these clothes can better protect children against UV radiation. A UV shirt labeled ‘UPF 50’ blocks 98 percent of all rays.” The parts of your child’s body that are not in the suit must of course still be rubbed.
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A dry white T-shirt only offers protection of SPF 15. When clothing gets wet, it blocks less radiation.
KWF Kankerbestrijding applauds the use of UV-resistant clothing, in addition to avoiding the sun between 12:00 and 15:00. Spokesperson Linda Sumner: “We really see sunscreen as a means for those places that you can’t protect in other ways, such as with clothing.” UV-resistant clothing is used more abroad than in the Netherlands, sees Sumner. “You see it a lot in Australia, for example. But UV-resistant clothing is also becoming increasingly popular in our own country. You can now even buy it at stores such as HEMA.”
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A simple T-shirt can also protect a child from the sun. But the lighter colored and thinner the fabric is, the more UV radiation is let through. A dry, white T-shirt, for example, only offers protection of SPF 15. And if clothing gets wet, it blocks less radiation, warns KWF.
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Not cheap, but a good investment
So you are always in the right place with UV-resistant clothing. It also provides convenience: you hoist your children in a suit, grease the rest and they can play in peace. Not everyone is convinced yet, Kadouch sees.
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“We quickly think here: act normal, then you act crazy enough. Putting on a shirt when you go out into the sun, you don’t do that. You have to tan a bit? So that is very unwise. We as dermatologists see the numbers go up, I’m not going to sit around and wait for everyone to get used to the idea.”
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In addition, the dermatologist hopes that parents themselves also set a good example when it comes to sun protection. So it is not a bad idea at all to put on a UV-resistant shirt yourself. Many parents are already convinced of this, says Kadouch. “I get a lot of requests for adult sizes.”
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Unfortunately, UV-resistant clothing is not cheap. Kadouch tries to make it as accessible as possible for everyone. If your child has outgrown the clothing, you can return the packages. “You will then receive a discount on your next purchase and we will offer the clothing again for half or a third of the price. Incidentally, applying sunscreen every two hours is also quite expensive in the end. If you wear our shirt for nine beach days, then you have the money is already out.”
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