The 2012 edition of The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal features medically reviewed, reader-friendly articles such as tanning, the increasing incidence of skin cancer diagnoses among young women, & the prevalence of melanoma among white males over 50.
Issue link: https://skincancer.epubxp.com/i/319518
40 S K I N C A N C E R F O U N D A T I O N J O U R N A L Lifestyle pounds in sunscreens, which absorb high-energy UV rays and release them as low-energy rays, thereby preventing the rays from reaching the skin, ex- plains Hans Kohn, chief operating of- fcer of Schoeller. The combination of UV-absorption and infrared-refection is what makes Coldblack unique. "By incorporating an IR-refecting com- ponent into the technology along with the UV-absorbing component, we enable people to wear darker colors – which are already more naturally UV- blocking in the sun – and stay comfort- able," says Kohn. Athletic apparel company Under Ar- mour initially started using Coldblack in its golf clothing line. Golfers, who spend hours outdoors, are now able to wear dark colors, or any color, and stay cool and sun-protected. The popular sportswear maker has since integrated Coldblack technology into its general athletic apparel. Columbia's Omni Shade and Omni-Freeze Zero What: In 2008, Columbia Sportswear introduced a new line of UV-protective fabrics, Omni-Shade, among its out- door apparel oferings. Whereas some UPF apparel is treated with a UV-absorbing fnish, Omni-Shade's sun-blocking abil- ity is built into its fabric and can't wash out. Several factors in the construction process boost its UPF, including tight fabric weave, dark colors, and synthetic fbers such as nylon, polyester, and elas- tane (a fber similar to spandex). "We recognized there was growing consumer concern about sun damage," says Woody Black- ford, vice president of Global Ap- parel Innovation & Design at Columbia. "People wear the products we make in the sun all the time, so we started to integrate sun protection as a key component of our products." Columbia has also introduced certain design innovations to make their UV-protective cloth- ing more comfortable and cool. For example, their Airgill Chill shirt, part of their Performance Fishing Gear line, is a long-sleeved fshing shirt made with UPF 50 fabric that has built-in "gills" on the sides for ventilation. Upping the high-tech ante, Colum- bia recently developed a unique fab- ric, Omni-Freeze Zero, which cools a person down when exposed to sweat. An Omni-Freeze Zero shirt has some 40,000 tiny blue polymer rings print- ed on the inside of the fabric. The little blue rings are sweat-activated: when exposed to moisture, they swell up like donuts and start to cool themselves and the surrounding fabric. "That's where we're putting a lot of our energy—making products that you would truly prefer to wear in hot conditions as opposed to bare skin," says Blackford. "That's a new notion in human history when it comes to clothing." SanSoleil What: A maker of golf, tennis and other sports ap- parel, the Newport Beach, California-based company SanSoleil is now producing high-UPF clothing that is lightweight, moisture-wicking and stretchy, for optimum performance during sports. "People are playing golf and tennis in the heat of the sun. Sportswear fab- rics of the past that performed well from the standpoint of UV protection did not perform well in terms of comfort," de- clares Kevin Knight, founder of SanSoleil. Today Knight has cus- tomers who tell him they enjoy hiking in 100-degree weather in the desert in his long-sleeved shirts. "We've allowed people to wear long sleeves as they never have before," says Knight, not- ing that this has given them unprecedented sun protection for their arms in conditions when they've traditionally gone sleeveless or short-sleeved. "A garment has to be comfortable or it's worthless," he concludes. Thermal imaging shows Omni-Freeze Zero rings cooling when wet; sweat trig- gers the cooling. References available on p. 96 T he following brands have earned The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recom- mendation for sun protective clothing and hats. The requirements include an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 30 or higher and acceptable test results according to the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists method or AS/NZS Standard. Boy Scouts of America Columbia Sportswear Coolibar J. Crew Lands' End O'Neill Wetsuits Quiksilver Roxy Specialized Bicycles Sundriven Wallaroo Hats Company Whitworth Hats Clothing Seal Holders