Hello

I want to ride across the country with my finance, but she is afraid of the sun damage (she is sorta fair skinned). Anyway, I was wondering, other than just sun screen how do you go about protecting your skin when you are riding.

Thanks Sam

Terry makes great "Sun-block" summer weight long sleeve jerseys. They work amazingly well in the heat and sunlight.

A visor for the helmet is probably a good idea too.

I haven't heard of the company. I googled Terry jersey and didn't get anything. Could you possible paste a link thank Sam

Here's the link:

http://dev.terrybicycles.com/index.html

You might also have her check out Team Estrogen, they carry a number of different brands.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/default.asp

Good suggestions. For sunblock on the face she may want to use one with a moistuizer that is designed for faces because that can help with wind and sun damage. Also don't forget the lips.

Some outdoor companies make sunblock shirts. I've found one from Patagonia comfortable although it looks more like a travel shirt than a bike shirt. I wear long sleeve jerseys often and use regular sunscreen and in summer carry it to reapply. A bandana out the back of the helmet might protect neck and sides of face (although might hinder peripheral vision). Many jerseys have an extended collar to protect the neck.

Here are some interesting points about sun exposure from an article in the New York Times about a sunscreen called Mexoryl by L’Oreal. “Psst! This Stuff Keeps You Young, but It’s Illegal.” By Laurel Naversen Geraghty, June 9, 2005

There are UVA and UVB rays. Both cause skin damage and are associated with skin cancer.
SPF is a multiplier that relates to protection against UVB rays.
[Art853 note: Some clothing has an UPF factor. It’s an SPF for clothes and unclear how it considers UVA and UVB]

Sunscreens may say it blocks UVA and UVB without saying how much. A study found 56% of sunscreen protected against UVA although 82% claimed to do so.
The Food and Drug Administration (as of date of article) has approved only three ingredients protective against UVA: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and avobenzone (trade name Parsol 1789).
Canadian and French researchers studied sunscreen and sunblock performance on skin exposed to a UV sunlamp for 15 minutes and found that “the product containing Mexoryl (along with avobenzone, titanium dioxide and other ingredients) was more than twice as effective in protecting against UVA light as any of the others.” Published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
UVB is present when sun is high in sky between 10 am and 4 pm.
“UVA light is virtually inescapable. ‘It's present in the same amount from sunup to sundown, 365 days a year, totally independent of climate conditions,’ said Dr. Katie Rodan, an associate clinical dermatologist at Stanford University.
That means it not only penetrates car windows and T-shirts, but it also reaches the skin during fog, rain and even blizzards.”
Mexoryl is does not break down in sun exposure as other UVA filters do but is gummy in texture.
Mexoryl was (then) not approved by the FDA for sale in USA but was being sold in Canada and Europe.

Another NYT article mentioned that Neutrogena Ultra Sheer has an S.P.F. of 55. This sunscreen uses two UV blockers, avobenzone and oxybenzone and is meant to be similar to Mexoryl.

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