4 Important Things You Need To Know About UV Rays In Order To Protect Your Precious Skin

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an unseen danger that can cause a lot of damage. From various skin conditions, to more serious consequences like skin cancer, it's about time we learned about the dangers of UV ray exposure in order to protect ourselves better!

Ultraviolet rays are a product of natural energy produced from the sun. UV light itself has a shorter wavelength than visible light, so you can't see it all. But your skin can definitely feel it! 

There are two types of UV rays that affect us:

1. Ultraviolet A (UVA) is often associated with skin ageing
2. Ultraviolet B (UVB) is associated with skin burning, ouch :(

Imagine you're out and about during a blisteringly-hot day. Then you figure that seeking shelter indoors or in a nice air-conditioned car will beat the heat. 

While that may be the solution to cooling yourself down, it doesn't necessarily mean you're protected from the sun. UVA rays are strong enough to penetrate through windows, umbrellas, and even clouds in the sky during an overcast day.

This is especially relevant in tropical countries, where it's basically summer every day. From 10am to 4pm, that's when UV rays reach their peak in terms of severity.

A good way to tell when it's time to seek some shade is the Shadow Rule, which states that if your shadow is shorter than you, it's safe to be outside. But when your shadow is taller than you, that's when you know it's time to seek some shade, if at all possible. 

Although UVB rays can't penetrate through glass and other surfaces like UVA can, the 'burn' that you feel is much more intense. Staying indoors, away from the sun, will do you just fine in most cases, but prolonged exposure to UVB does a lot of damage to the skin.

The Shadow Rule also applies here, since you don't want to be exposed to the strongest UVB rays during the day.

Every time you're exposed to UV rays, your skin's defences go into overdrive trying to prevent harm from occurring, especially the epidermis, which is the top-most layer. 

Though your skin does a fantastic job in preventing airborne bacteria from entering your body, it can't prevent 100% of UV rays from doing any damage. With increased exposure to UV radiation, the skin's defences slowly get weaker and weaker, thus rippling the same effects to your immune system.

Made from ultra-breathable fabric, the UV Protection clothing line provides a minimum ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 25, which means you can easily go about your day without worrying about any damage being done to your skin!

Ranging from UPF 25 to UPF 40, you've got a tonne of fresh, fashionable options for your choosing. Whether you're looking for a light parka, or a smart-looking cardigan, there's definitely something that'll suit your style with UNIQLO's UV Protection clothing line.

Compared to traditional methods of UV protection such as sunscreen and various dietary improvements, UNIQLO's UV Protection clothing line provides protection just by wearing a piece from the collection!

UNIQLO's UV-blocking apparel are specially treated to shield against UVA and UVB rays. UNIQLO's UV Protection line does its job thanks to the incorporation of UV-blocking components into their fabrics, plus the use of material that actually reflects UV radiation, adding an extra layer of protection!

To put things into perspective, you would have to wear a UNIQLO UV Protection piece for 12.5 hours straight in order to even feel the same UV exposure as someone wearing regular clothes for just 15 minutes.

Pieces like the AIRism UV Protection Mesh Hoodie also provide cooling comfort in the hot sun thanks to its ultra-breathable construction. Essentially, you'll look cool and feel cool too. ;)