PCL9GA members Wendy Wisser, Patti Halbmaier, Kathy Vienna and Yvonne Harm show off their sun protective shirts and sleeves.
Patti Halbmaier
We are all at a high risk of skin cancer as residents in the Valley of the Sun. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can be a major cause of skin cancer, but taking precautions can reduce the risks.
A number of our PCL9GA members have been golfing in long-sleeved sun protective tops and sleeves over the past couple of years. We thought it would be interesting to ask how effective this type of clothing is. Kathy Vienna, Patty Greene, Mary Georgesen, Wendy Wisser, Yvonne Harm, Lorna Lincoln and I are among some of the members who have been using this protective clothing to protect our arms from the intense sun’s rays. All of these ladies who have been wearing the clothing feel they are comfortable and provide the protection from the damage of the sun.
One would think that long sleeves would be very uncomfortable and hot. On the contrary, these shirts and sleeves are made from very lightweight and breathable fabric. The shirts and sleeves usually have UPF50 protection and are moisture-wicking and soft. The wearer can wet down the sleeves and front of the shirt and it becomes very cool as the moisture evaporates in the air. One does not need to apply sunscreen on the arms, thus eliminating that sticky feeling on the skin.
There are a number of sources for these products. Most of us have bought them from Lands’ End.com, Amazon.com, Costco and PebbleCreek Pro Shops for the sleeves. Other golf and sporting goods websites have sun protective clothing as well. The tops are often referred to as rash guard shirts in the swimsuit section of a particular website.
Taking precautions and learning more about the new technologies of sun protective clothing could be a life saver and reduce the risk of skin cancers. They are pretty, too!