TECHNOLOGY
Why Scientists Say UPF Clothing Is Better Than Sunscreen
Whether you’re hiking a sunny trail or out fishing in the ocean, a new study suggests UV apparel is the way to go
BY RACHEL CAVANAUGH
There’s good news for outdoor enthusiasts who love spending time in the sun but dread having to repeatedly lather their entire body with sunscreen.
A first-of-its-kind study authored by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has found that UPF-protective fabric works significantly better than sunscreen when it comes to its overall UV-protective capacity. According to the research, sun lovers can—and should—consider UPF clothing to be the “cornerstone of UV protection.”
“The big take-home of this study is that UV-protective clothing works so much better than sunscreen,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Berry, an OHSU dermatologist who led the study. “The data really supports it. If you look at all the UVA- and UVB-blocking protection that clothing provides, it exceeds sunscreen in all measures.”
The study, titled “Slip versus Slop: A Head-to-Head Comparison of UV-Protective Clothing to Sunscreen,” pitted two types of sunscreen lotion against four different types of UPF fabric. In all cases, the sun-protective clothing outperformed the sunscreen.
“That's not to say I'm a sunscreen hater or that we shouldn't use sunscreen,” Dr. Berry said. “There are areas that you cannot cover with clothing. But it's changed the way that I counsel patients because I think clothing is much easier to wear. It doesn't rub off. It doesn't wash off.”
A first-of-its-kind study authored by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has found that UPF-protective fabric works significantly better than sunscreen when it comes to its overall UV-protective capacity. According to the research, sun lovers can—and should—consider UPF clothing to be the “cornerstone of UV protection.”
“The big take-home of this study is that UV-protective clothing works so much better than sunscreen,” explained Dr. Elizabeth Berry, an OHSU dermatologist who led the study. “The data really supports it. If you look at all the UVA- and UVB-blocking protection that clothing provides, it exceeds sunscreen in all measures.”
The study, titled “Slip versus Slop: A Head-to-Head Comparison of UV-Protective Clothing to Sunscreen,” pitted two types of sunscreen lotion against four different types of UPF fabric. In all cases, the sun-protective clothing outperformed the sunscreen.
“That's not to say I'm a sunscreen hater or that we shouldn't use sunscreen,” Dr. Berry said. “There are areas that you cannot cover with clothing. But it's changed the way that I counsel patients because I think clothing is much easier to wear. It doesn't rub off. It doesn't wash off.”
The science behind the study
To get the results, scientists compared the UV-protective capacity of four pieces of clothing textiles—three pieces of Columbia Sportswear’s Omni-Shade™ fabric and one piece of the company’s Omni-Shade™ Sun Deflector fabric—with two samples of sunscreen (SPF 30 and SPF 50).
The researchers found that all four UPF fabrics managed to block more than 99% of UVB rays (the type of ultraviolet radiation that’s most associated with skin cancer) while the sunscreens only kept UVB rays out at a rate of 76% to 94%.
When it came to UVA rays (the type of radiation that is also linked to skin cancer, but more commonly associated with wrinkles and aging), the UPF fabrics offered rates of protection at around 96% to 98%. By contrast, the sunscreens performed at considerably lower rates of roughly 54% (SPF 30) to 82% (SPF 50).
The researchers found that all four UPF fabrics managed to block more than 99% of UVB rays (the type of ultraviolet radiation that’s most associated with skin cancer) while the sunscreens only kept UVB rays out at a rate of 76% to 94%.
When it came to UVA rays (the type of radiation that is also linked to skin cancer, but more commonly associated with wrinkles and aging), the UPF fabrics offered rates of protection at around 96% to 98%. By contrast, the sunscreens performed at considerably lower rates of roughly 54% (SPF 30) to 82% (SPF 50).
“The big take-home of this study is that UV-protective clothing works so much better than sunscreen.”
Dr. Elizabeth Berry, OHSU
The UV-protective fabrics also triumphed over sunscreen when tested for their ability to protect against visible light—an important element in protecting against skin darkening and pigmentation disorders such as melasma.
According to OHSU Chair of Dermatology Dr. Sancy Leachman, who col-led the study, UVA can be particularly insidious for sun lovers because it doesn’t turn your skin red like UVB rays do.
“One thing that’s important [to point out] is that neither UVA or visible light can cause sunburn at outdoor exposure levels,” she explained. “So if you're using a sunscreen that's failing in those areas, your skin is being damaged, but you will never feel it because you won't get a telltale burn.”
This is problematic because that’s how your body tells you there’s a problem, Dr. Berry added, noting that sunburns are your “warning signal.”
According to OHSU Chair of Dermatology Dr. Sancy Leachman, who col-led the study, UVA can be particularly insidious for sun lovers because it doesn’t turn your skin red like UVB rays do.
“One thing that’s important [to point out] is that neither UVA or visible light can cause sunburn at outdoor exposure levels,” she explained. “So if you're using a sunscreen that's failing in those areas, your skin is being damaged, but you will never feel it because you won't get a telltale burn.”
This is problematic because that’s how your body tells you there’s a problem, Dr. Berry added, noting that sunburns are your “warning signal.”
A side-by-side graphic showing Columbia Sportswear’s Omni-Shade™ on the left and Omni-Shade™ Sun Deflector on the right.
An unsurprising discovery
The study confirms what Dr. Leachman says scientists have suspected for a long time but haven’t before proven with empirical data: that UPF fabric is generally a superior tool when it comes to UV protection.
“Dermatologists have always known that clothing is really better than sunscreen for protecting the skin and for staying on,” Dr. Leachman said.
“But we've never really had good data that compared it head-to-head like this study does. Now dermatologists have data that they can show their patients that demonstrates that clothing is an essential part of photoprotection and should be used as widely as possible.”
“I've been saying that for years, by the way,” she added. “Before this study ever came out. I tell all my patients that,” with the caveat that it doesn’t mean sunscreen should be eliminated completely.
“You can't put [clothing] everywhere,” she said. “You've got to have good sunscreen, too, to put on the places that you can't cover with clothing or that are impractical.”
She noted, however, that sun-protective accessories like UPF gloves and UPF-rated neck gaiters can increase the amount of skin that can be covered with UV-blocking fabrics. Plus, advances in fabric technology have made them cool and breathable so they're more practical to wear in the sun than they once were.
UPF-rated sun hats are another great tool, according to Dr. Berry, because your hair only offers sun protection comparable to an SPF 5 sunscreen.
“I find a fair number of skin cancers on the scalp,” Dr. Berry said. “Hats are really important for the same reasons that clothing is important.”
“Dermatologists have always known that clothing is really better than sunscreen for protecting the skin and for staying on,” Dr. Leachman said.
“But we've never really had good data that compared it head-to-head like this study does. Now dermatologists have data that they can show their patients that demonstrates that clothing is an essential part of photoprotection and should be used as widely as possible.”
“I've been saying that for years, by the way,” she added. “Before this study ever came out. I tell all my patients that,” with the caveat that it doesn’t mean sunscreen should be eliminated completely.
“You can't put [clothing] everywhere,” she said. “You've got to have good sunscreen, too, to put on the places that you can't cover with clothing or that are impractical.”
She noted, however, that sun-protective accessories like UPF gloves and UPF-rated neck gaiters can increase the amount of skin that can be covered with UV-blocking fabrics. Plus, advances in fabric technology have made them cool and breathable so they're more practical to wear in the sun than they once were.
UPF-rated sun hats are another great tool, according to Dr. Berry, because your hair only offers sun protection comparable to an SPF 5 sunscreen.
“I find a fair number of skin cancers on the scalp,” Dr. Berry said. “Hats are really important for the same reasons that clothing is important.”
The challenges of sunscreen
The main problem with sunscreen, according to Dr. Berry, is that it’s extremely difficult—if not downright impossible—to evenly apply everywhere on your body. Inevitably, some parts wind up with thicker coatings while others get barely any at all. Hard to reach places are often missed entirely, resulting in the red splotches of sunburn commonly found in random spots after a long day in the sun.
On top of being applied evenly, it must be applied thickly. You have to cake sunscreen on for it to work properly, which most people don’t want to do for cosmetic reasons. The majority of people choose to rub it in completely, which reduces its effectiveness.
“Very few people apply sunscreen correctly,” Dr. Berry said. “Most people rub in their sunscreen a little too much.”
According to Dr. Berry, in order to be in compliance with the 2 milligrams per square centimeter that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends for proper use, you need a full shot glass of sunscreen to cover your entire body. Not only that, it must be reapplied every two hours.
“If you're going to be at the beach and you need to put that on every two hours, that's like a [full] bottle of sunscreen,” she said. “Almost nobody is able to apply it that way.”
On top of being applied evenly, it must be applied thickly. You have to cake sunscreen on for it to work properly, which most people don’t want to do for cosmetic reasons. The majority of people choose to rub it in completely, which reduces its effectiveness.
“Very few people apply sunscreen correctly,” Dr. Berry said. “Most people rub in their sunscreen a little too much.”
According to Dr. Berry, in order to be in compliance with the 2 milligrams per square centimeter that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends for proper use, you need a full shot glass of sunscreen to cover your entire body. Not only that, it must be reapplied every two hours.
“If you're going to be at the beach and you need to put that on every two hours, that's like a [full] bottle of sunscreen,” she said. “Almost nobody is able to apply it that way.”
“Dermatologists have always known that clothing is really better than sunscreen for protecting the skin and for staying on.”
Dr. Sancy Leachman, OHSU
Dr. Berry also pointed to environmental issues and potential health risks associated with sunscreen use.
“Some have raised concerns about the impact of certain sunscreen components on coral reefs,” she said.
Although there’s debate over how much sunscreen is to blame for the damage, the concern is strong enough that Hawaii recently banned all sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate, the chemicals thought to potentially cause harm
Additionally, a 2020 FDA study. demonstrated that the active chemicals in sunscreen can be absorbed into your bloodstream, prompting a debate over possible health concerns. It’s still unclear if those concerns are viable, but Dr. Berry said more research is definitely needed.
“Some have raised concerns about the impact of certain sunscreen components on coral reefs,” she said.
Although there’s debate over how much sunscreen is to blame for the damage, the concern is strong enough that Hawaii recently banned all sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate, the chemicals thought to potentially cause harm
Additionally, a 2020 FDA study. demonstrated that the active chemicals in sunscreen can be absorbed into your bloodstream, prompting a debate over possible health concerns. It’s still unclear if those concerns are viable, but Dr. Berry said more research is definitely needed.
The advantages UPF clothing
Dr. Haskell Beckham, Senior Director of Innovation at Columbia Sportswear, is another co-author of the study who helped provide the UPF fabric samples used for the testing. As a longtime materials scientist, Dr. Beckham has overseen the development of numerous UPF fabric technologies and has a deep understanding of how they function.
One key advantage, he said, aside from better UV-blocking performance, is that UPF clothing is often more comfortable too.
“[UPF] clothing is not sticky,” Dr. Beckham said. “It doesn’t block sweat pores.” Not only that, a lot of today’s UPF clothing and accessories are made with special cooling technologies such as Omni-Freeze Zero™ or Omni-Freeze Zero Ice™ that have the added benefit of heat mitigation and cooling enhancement.
“Evaporative cooling from sweat-containing fabrics can cool more effectively than if no clothing were worn at all,” Dr. Beckham said. “This is especially true if you’re wearing Omni-Freeze Zero™ or Omni-Freeze Zero Ice™ , which are engineered to enhance this cooling mechanism.”
Activities such as hiking, fishing, trail running, rafting, and kayaking are all great opportunities to use UPF clothing for sun protection, he said. Water-based activities are an especially good fit because you don’t have to worry about sunscreen washing off.
“By wearing UPF-rated clothing in the water, you only have to reapply sunscreen to the smaller areas of exposed skin,” Dr. Beckham explained.
One key advantage, he said, aside from better UV-blocking performance, is that UPF clothing is often more comfortable too.
“[UPF] clothing is not sticky,” Dr. Beckham said. “It doesn’t block sweat pores.” Not only that, a lot of today’s UPF clothing and accessories are made with special cooling technologies such as Omni-Freeze Zero™ or Omni-Freeze Zero Ice™ that have the added benefit of heat mitigation and cooling enhancement.
“Evaporative cooling from sweat-containing fabrics can cool more effectively than if no clothing were worn at all,” Dr. Beckham said. “This is especially true if you’re wearing Omni-Freeze Zero™ or Omni-Freeze Zero Ice™ , which are engineered to enhance this cooling mechanism.”
Activities such as hiking, fishing, trail running, rafting, and kayaking are all great opportunities to use UPF clothing for sun protection, he said. Water-based activities are an especially good fit because you don’t have to worry about sunscreen washing off.
“By wearing UPF-rated clothing in the water, you only have to reapply sunscreen to the smaller areas of exposed skin,” Dr. Beckham explained.
“Nobody applies sunscreen correctly. Everybody rubs sunscreen in, probably a little bit too much.”
Dr. Elizabeth Berry, OHSU
Eileen May-West, program director for Wasatch Adaptive Sports, spends a significant amount of time outside in the sun due to the nature of her job. As someone with highly sensitive skin, she says that discovering UPF clothing was a game changer.
“I’m a 100% redhead,” she said. “I often say that the only hope of a tan I have is connecting my freckles. I've spent my life bathed in sunscreen in order to be outdoors.
“Not having to worry about severe burns in random missed spots and not having to reapply greasy sunscreen on top of sweaty skin is amazing.”
She added, “I have a UPF hoodie that I’ve worn for every single activity I participate in outdoors: mountain biking, hiking, spring skiing, and playing at the beach with my toddler.”
Given all of the advantages of UPF clothing, Dr. Berry recommends that people who spend a lot of time in the sun adopt a UV-protection strategy that begins with UPF clothing and includes sunscreen to fill in the gaps.
“You've got all this baggage that comes with sunscreens, whereas clothing is pretty easy to put on and wear,” Dr. Berry said. “For the typical beachgoer, our recommendation now is to just cover as much as you can or are willing to with clothing, and then put sunscreen on the rest.”
“I’m a 100% redhead,” she said. “I often say that the only hope of a tan I have is connecting my freckles. I've spent my life bathed in sunscreen in order to be outdoors.
“Not having to worry about severe burns in random missed spots and not having to reapply greasy sunscreen on top of sweaty skin is amazing.”
She added, “I have a UPF hoodie that I’ve worn for every single activity I participate in outdoors: mountain biking, hiking, spring skiing, and playing at the beach with my toddler.”
Given all of the advantages of UPF clothing, Dr. Berry recommends that people who spend a lot of time in the sun adopt a UV-protection strategy that begins with UPF clothing and includes sunscreen to fill in the gaps.
“You've got all this baggage that comes with sunscreens, whereas clothing is pretty easy to put on and wear,” Dr. Berry said. “For the typical beachgoer, our recommendation now is to just cover as much as you can or are willing to with clothing, and then put sunscreen on the rest.”
Ready to explore UPF clothing? Check out Columbia Sportswear’s wide-ranging collection.
