5 Tips for Family Sun Protection

As we get older and search for the fountain of youth, many of us realize that preventative solutions are important for our health and well being. Too much of anything is usually a bad thing. This is especially true when it comes to sun exposure.  I wish that I had better sun protection when I was younger, but it's better late than never. I also want to make sure that my entire family has good sun protection. In today's post, I'll share tips for family sun protection.

Let me start with my motivation for this post. I had skin cancer on my back almost 5 years ago.  It was caught early which gave me a big advantage in life. If I would have waited for it to grow larger, my outcome would have been much worse. I feel incredibly lucky that it was caught early and that I received a better chance at life. I encourage everyone to take sun protection seriously and to have annual skin cancer exams. 

1. Wear clothing and swimwear with UPF 50+ protection.

One of the best inventions related to family sun protection is fabric that provides UPF 50+ protection!  As a mom of energetic children who don't want to slow down to reapply sunblock, I am very appreciative of Coolibar UPF 50+ clothing and accessories that don't have to be reapplied while they play!  It's a luxury to just call them over to reapply sunscreen to their face and any other small areas that are not covered by their UPF clothing or accessories. I'm happier and my children are happier!  (On a very personal note, I love that Coolibar offers plenty of rash guard options to cover my children's backs since this is where I had skin cancer.)

If you are looking for a good brand of sun protective clothing, check out Coolibar. This brand is excellent quality and has a wide selection of clothing, swimwear, and accessories. I actually became hooked on this brand shortly after my son was born. Someone gifted us a Coolibar baby gift set that included a baby blanket and hat that provided UPF 50+ protection.  They knew that I am not a fan of chemicals, so the blanket and hat were a perfect way to give my baby some extra sun protection.   I've loved Coolibar's products ever since!

My family currently wears Coolibar swimwear that we love. In Texas, we use swimwear for most of the year and on vacations throughout winter.  This year, we are all coordinated in blue swimwear. Coolibar has it all!  My husband and boys have matching swim trunks and then their own special rash guards. We recently learned that the long sleeve rash guards are the way to go because they actually keep us cooler and provide more protection. As you know, it's hard to slow my children down when they are playing, so the less sunscreen that we need to reapply, the better! 

2. Wear hats with UPF 50+ protection.

I'm sure that you are noticing a theme that we love sun protective clothing and accessories! Coolibar has the best hats with UVF 50+ protection for men, women, boys, girls, and babies.  Their collection is extensive with sports caps, bucket hats, floppy hats, fedoras, visors, and more. We have some of their sports caps and floppy hats. They are very comfortable both in and out of the water. My sensitive skin appreciates the extra protection from the strong Texas sun in these generously protective hats! My boys have been wearing their hats since they were tiny. I recently forgot their hats when we visited a splash pad and they were bummed. They didn't like how the sun was so strong on their skin or that I had to apply extra rounds of sunscreen.  It's funny that they've always had Coolibar sun hats that they take for granted!

Coolibar has many styles of hats in a variety of colors.  It's fun and easy to pair a UVF 50+ hat with your swimwear. For instance, I love this Women's Brighton Chlorine Resistant Bucket Hat with UPF 50+ with a long sleeve swimsuit with UPF 50+ protection! This hat is made of stretchy fabric and is easy to adjust. It stands up well to chlorine and saltwater. Of course, my favorite thing about it is that it is comfortable and provides sun protection.

I also pair my favorite hat with the Coolibar's Women's Lanikai 3-in-1 Swim Bottoms with UPF 50+ and a Coolibar short sleeve swim shirt with UPF 50+. 

The designers of Coolibar's Women's Lanikai 3-in-1 Swim Bottoms with UPF 50+ deserve accolades. These overachieving swim bottoms have an adjustable ruched skirt for customized length, but offer even more because you are able to pull the skirt all of the way up to convert it to a swim suit! It has a removable strap for added support.  The Aqua Vesta fabric is lightweight, breathable, and quick to dry.  

The Coolibar short sleeve swim shirt with UPF 50+ complements it nicely with the flattering design and pretty pattern. I love that there is gripper elastic on the back hem and that the Flatlock seams prevent chaffing.  It's made from Aqua Classic fabric which is chlorine and salt water resistant.

3. Avoid peak sun hours.

Some people mistakenly think that peak sun hours are noon to 4pm. This actually varies by geographic location. For instance, at this time of year, Texas has 5 peak hours of sun to avoid while some northern states have 3.5 peak hours to avoid.  You'll want to look up the peak sun hours for your location or vacation destination when you make your plans.

4. Use good quality sunblock and check the EWG database for reviews.

Sunblock is important for families. We actually use a few different brands. There are many nice brands out there, but I always check the EWG database because it tracks health concerns of skincare products.  I've been using this website for over a decade. When I was younger, I didn't realize that some of my skincare products contained known carcinogens.  I came across the EWG database and was shocked to realize that I was using products that could be dangerous to my health. I quickly made changes. Over the years, the EWG website has grown. I use it regularly to look up information about all of the skincare products that we use. This includes sunblock.

5. Visit your dermatologist for annual skin cancer exams.

Annual skin cancer exams are important because early detection makes a big difference.  I had skin cancer on my back which was removed at an early stage.  I'm happy to say that I only have a small area of scarring and am otherwise fine. I go for annual skin cancer checks more often based on my skin cancer history. The rest of my family has annual skin cancer checks.   Our health insurance makes our appointments more affordable.  However, if you do not have health insurance, look for the Sun Bus that visits the Dallas/Fort Worth metro annually to give free skin cancer screenings.  The screenings are relatively quick and easy.  If you or your family members have skin cancer, you'll want to detect it as early as possible!  (You'll notice in the photos that my family wears Coolibar swimwear to protect their skin. Thanks to Coolibar's rash guards with UVF50+ protection, everyone's backs are covered in the area that I had skin cancer. As a mom, these rash guards help to ease my worries on fun outings.)

I hope that these tips help you as you strive to keep your family safe in the sun. There are so many easy and fashionable ways to prepare you family for outings that involve sun exposure!  

Learn more

Coolibar is our go-to shop for clothing and accessories that offer UVF 50+ protection. While we featured Coolibar swimwear and hats, you'll also love their UPF clothing that includes stylish dresses, shirts, pants, and more. They are the ultimate brand for stylish sun protective clothing and swimwear!