Kids Hats Can Help Reduce Exposure to Sun

Later in life, the risk of your child developing skin cancer could be increased by just a few serious sunburns early in life. In order to get too much sun, kids don't necessarily have to be on vacation, spending long days at the beach, or frolicking all day in the pool. Whenever your children are outdoors, their skin must be protected from the harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays of the sun. Kids hats can go a long way toward helping protect children’s skin from sunburn.

To help you better protect your child, we're going to offer a handful of suggestions. But remember, kids’ hats can be not only fun and stylish but also serve as a first line of defense against skin cancer later in life.

When Cloudy and Cool Is in the Forecast

Just because it's a little cool and cloudy, don't let that temperature fool you. Your child still needs to be protected against the sun's harmful rays. Those rays are filtered by clouds, not completely blocked by them. That filtering, by the way, is only slight.

Got Pink Skin?

In as little as 15 minutes, the sun's harmful rays can damage unprotected skin. For your skin to feel the full effect of exposure to the sun, it can take up to 12 hours. Your child could have a burn tomorrow if they look a little pink today. If they’re pink, get them out of the sun.

Sunscreen – Always Sunscreen!

At all times, keep sunscreen handy. Every time your child goes outside, apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 plus UVB and UVA protection. Don't forget the tops of their feet, lips, nose, and their ears. Roughly 30 minutes before going outdoors, apply the sunscreen for the best protection.

Sunglasses Are Fun and Necessary

To protect your child's eyes from the harmful rays of the sun, use sunglasses. Later in life, they could develop cataracts without this protection. Check for sunglasses that block as close to 100% of UVB and UVA rays as possible, and sunglasses that wrap around.

Cover As Much As Possible

Protection from the sun's rays can be provided by long skirts and pants, and long sleeve shirts. Here are some tips:

• The best protection comes from clothes made from fabric that is tightly woven.
• A dry T-shirt offers more UV protection than does a wet one.
• Lighter colors may offer less protection than dark colors.
• Clothing is available which is classified under international standards as having ultraviolet protection factors. Look for this information on the label.

Last but Not Least – Kids Hats

In addition to fashionable sunglasses, this is where you can really have some fun and protect your child at the same time. There are so many kids hats on the market these days that it's astounding. Bucket hats, bonnets, floppy hats, straw hats, baseball caps – the list goes on and on. The important thing is to get a hat that's going to do the job of protecting your child's eyes and face from harmful UV rays.

At Hat Heaven, we carry kids’ hats, hats for adults, hats for men, hats for women – all sorts of hats! We have hats with team logos for the sports minded child, no logos if you prefer, and even a few hats with cartoon characters. Check out our impressive inventory today.