The sun may be the source of all energy, but it is far from harmless. In fact, 1/3 of all skin cancers appear first on the face as a result of inadequate protection against the sun. While sunscreen may provide protection against sun burn, it provides no protection against UVA rays that cause cancer. Sun hats protect against the risk of skin cancer, and they also help slow premature aging. Even sunlight absorbed in infancy and early childhood can have prolonged effects on the aging process years down the road.

The right sun hat depends on the circumstances you will be wearing it. If there is a lot of wind, you might want to consider a chin strap to keep your UV hat in place. This is also helpful if you'll be wearing the hat doing a lot of up and down movements such as gardening. If you're choosing UV hats for a particular sport, remember to keep peripheral vision in mind. Consider the size of the sun hat brim and if a neck drape is involved, as you don't want to wear anything that may obstruct your vision and ability to play the sport.

On the other hand, if you plan to spend a lot of time in the sun, a neck drape is ideal, as it will provide protection against your neck. The neck and shoulders directly absorb overhead sun and can be one of the leading locations of skin cancer developments. Sun hats that feature neck drapes offer the most ideal protection. Plus, you can drench the neck drape in cold water to cool off in the summer.

The UPF rating of a sun hat is important, but it's not the only consideration when it comes to protection offered by UV hats. Ideally, a UV hat should have a UPF of at least 50 or greater, as well as a sun hat brim of 4 inches or wider. Yet you don't want to forget about the angle of the hat brim, as this determines how much shade is provided by sun hats throughout the day. A hat with downward sloping will keep you protected for more hours of the day.

Think about it. At high noon in the scorch of the sun, even a UV hat with a 3 inch brim will provide enough sun protection for your head. Once that sun ascends or descends, those rays will hit on the back of your neck, often in the early afternoon when the sun is at its hottest. During the sunset, your wide brim sun hat, on the other hand, will provide virtually no protection at all. Ideally, it should have a downward brim for the best protection throughout the day.

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Article Submitted By: Erin Marie
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