UV Protection – How to avoid sunburn while snorkeling?
UV protection is one of the most important things you must consider when heading to the beach. Sunburn is painful and can cause long-term damage to the skin. With our advice and tips, you can learn the best way to protect your skin against harmful UV rays, what sun protection clothing to wear when snorkeling, and what the best beach sunscreens are.
UV protection on the beach
Protecting our skin from harmful UV rays is something that we should take care of every day, but it is crucial on the beach and during water activities. As the holiday season approaches, you need to prepare your skin for strong sunlight. If you don’t get enough sunlight during winter months, your skin turns pale and burns easily.
But don’t be silly and think you will get a chocolate tan on the first day of your holiday on the beach! Start by spending 10-20 minutes in the sun wearing UV protective clothing and at least SPF 30 sunscreen.
Gradually increase the time letting your skin get a tan slowly without burning. Sun protection even more important when traveling for a tropical holiday in winter when the skin is even more sensitive towards strong sunlight than during the summer months.
What does UV protection mean?
Sunlight contains 3 different type of UV rays: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. You can hear mainly about UVA and UVB rays skin-damaging effects since UVC rays are absorbed by the ozone layer meaning no threat.
UVA rays penetrate the skin, causing aging and wrinkling. The damage can also lead to skin cancer. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn and are also linked with the development of skin cancer and melanoma.
Preventing sun damage is a complex yet easy-to-learn practice that includes wearing UV-protective clothes and sunglasses, applying sunscreen, and avoiding staying in the sun at peak times.
What does UPF mean?
The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) represents the fraction of UV rays that can penetrate the fabric and is used to indicate the sun-protective feature of clothing. It is similar to the SPF rating for sun care products. The American Society for Testing and Materials Committee originally enhanced it.
The higher the UPF, the better the protection. A UPF50 rating means that the fabric will allow 1/50th of the UV to pass through it. In other words, it blocks approximately 95 % of the UV-B rays and 98 % of the UV-A rays.
Five tips to protect your skin against UV protection on the beach
- wear UV protection clothing with UPF 30 or higher
- protect your head, ears, and neck with a wide-brimmed hat, baseball cap, or headscarf
- apply eco-friendly sunscreen on the areas that are not covered with clothing and reapply every 2 hours
- use sunglasses with UV protection that blocks the UV light from reaching the eyes
- stay out of direct sun at peak times (10 am-4 pm)
UV protection while snorkeling
The chance of getting sunburn is even higher while snorkeling because the water reflects sun rays. Therefore, high-level UV protection is crucial for planning water activities. UPF clothing is as essential as having a good snorkel set!
The most compromised areas during snorkeling are the head, shoulders, waist area, and calves. For the best protection, wear a high UPF swimming suit, cover the head, and apply ocean-safe sunscreen to the uncovered areas!
UV protection clothing
Clothing is the most straightforward and crucial line of defense against sun rays. Even your everyday clothing provides UV protection. For example, a normal white cotton T-shirt has an approximate UPF5 rating. It is better than nothing but not effective for staying a long time in the sun, and it is absolutely not good for snorkeling because the protection that an everyday T-shirt offers is extremely low.
Fabrics with spaces between the fibers are not effective in blocking harmful UV rays so they can reach the skin. The best fabrics for sun protection are tightly woven; high-density synthetic fibers like lycra, nylon, and polyester offer excellent protection, so it is not a surprise why beach sun clothes are made of such fabrics.
The best way to avoid sunburn is to wear unique UV protection clothing with a high UPF rating that effectively absorbs and blocks harmful radiation. These lightweight, high-elasticity, and fast-drying shirts and shorts are absolute essentials for those who spend long hours in direct sunlight. Therefore, regular beachgoers can never have enough of them so whenever you run of out ideas, rash guards and suits are excellent gifts for surfers, snorkelers and divers.
O’Neill Long Sleeve Swim Shirt for Men
- high-level UPF50+ protection
- lightweight, fast-drying, high-elasticity fabric
- available in various colors and different sizes
The color is also essential. Dark and vivid colors block harmful UV rays more effectively than light ones. It is also important that if the fabric gets stretched, thin, and transparent, it loses the majority of its sun protection features. So, when choosing UV clothing for snorkeling or just generally to wear at the beach, make sure to get the right size and check if it has at least a UPF30 rating!
Rash guard for snorkeling
After ruining our holiday a few times due to sunburn, I learned the lessons well and never left for a snorkeling holiday without UV protection clothing. Rash guards and swim shirts are the best for active water sports, offering high-level sun protection and allowing free movement, thanks to their properties.
But what is exactly a rash guard? This type of clothing is used mainly for water sports and protects the wearer against irritation, rash, and sunburn. Thanks to the high elasticity, light spandex, polyester, and nylon fabric, it is lightweight and doesn’t limit movements.
Kanu Surf Rashguard
- long sleeve rashguard for women
- fast drying, machine wash possible
- UPF 50+ rating
Rash guards originate from Australia where they are called rashies. Nowadays they are used all over the world for any kind of water activity like snorkeling, diving, kitesurfing. Another important factor is that rash guards provide protection not only against sun rays but also against jellyfish stings!
UPF swim shirts usually fit looser than rash guards but can be used the same way to protect the skin against sun exposure. The more areas you cover with UV protection clothes, the better! Therefore, we recommend getting UV protection long-sleeved shirts, pants, or even a full-body UV protection suit.
Full Body Rash Guard
- Body Long-sleeve rash guard for the best protection from irritation, sun exposure and jellyfish
- comfortable fit thanks to the luxurious fabric made from lycra spandex
- available for women and men in various colors and sizes
Tip: should you look for sun protective clothing for children, check out our kids snorkel gear guide where we list what products we recommend!
Head sun protection
During snorkeling, your head is almost always out of the water, and the wet scalp can burn faster than other body parts. Don’t think you only need sun protection if you have a bald head since hair doesn’t protect the delicate skin on your head.
Sunburn on your scalp could be painful and dangerous (think about heatstroke). Moreover, the skin on the neck and ears is very sensitive. Therefore, we recommend never going snorkeling without taking care of your head sun protection, even if you plan a short session only.
You can wear a hooded rash guard shirt or a full-body UV protection suit with a hoodie. You can also get head sun protection items separately. A swim cap or UV-protective swim bandana works well. Alternatively, even a simple multifunctional sport headband can do the job!
What sunscreen is the best for the beach
For responsible snorkelers and ocean lovers, it is important that sun lotion is safe for the reefs and biodegradable. Our advice is to use a full-body rash guard as the main protection so that you can minimize or even skip using sun lotion.
Never buy sun care products with dangerous ingredients like Oxybenzone and octinoxate. Mineral sunscreens with non-nano Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide are safe to use, like the ThinkBaby Safe sunscreen or Raw Elements Natural Sunscreen products.
Inspired? Pin it!
