Garments as solar ultraviolet radiation screening materials.

Although wearing clothing to protect one's skin from the harmful rays of the sun is not new practice, this practice is of recent increasing interest. This article discusses 1) three types of protection (sunburn, precancerous skin lesion development, and photoaging) that can be realized by covering the skin with fabric, 2) the process by which some garments come to be labeled with information about ultraviolet radiation protection advantage, 3) the meaning of the information provided on product labels, 4) practical guidelines that can be used to decide which summertime garments having no stated sun protection information are the best for wearing out-of-doors, and 5) the pros and cons of using fabric and sunscreen lotions for sun protection.