Shade — the ultimate sun protection and a respite from the heat. At the beach, you should always sit under an umbrella. If you’re on the move, the right type of hat will do.
For the most protection, the CDC recommends wearing a hat with a wide brim all the way around, providing shade for your face, ears and the back of your neck. Tightly woven fabrics like canvas are the most effective, as well as darker hats. The CDC advises against straw hats since holes can leak in sunlight.
If you’re wearing just a baseball cap, it’s important that you supplement it with protective clothing or sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 to protect your ears and the back of your neck.
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“Shade is more important than sunscreen because sunscreen does not offer balanced UVB and UVA protection — and people do not use enough sunscreen,” says Dr. Wang.
Try these: Coolibar Titanium Beach Umbrella, $85; Coolibar Wide Brim Hat, $35