The current Skin Cancer Report 2019 by the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), the University of Bremen and the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) clearly shows that the all-clear cannot be given, under any circumstances. Barely any cancerous disease is linked as directly to our behaviour as skin cancer. “The number of cases of skin cancer have been rising continuously for many years. However, the origin of these cases lies 20 to 30 years in the past, as skin cancer only develops very slowly.
Therefore, it is all the more important to protect in younger years and particularly, to be aware of the danger,” as summarised by the Skin Cancer Report 2019. According to the Robert Koch Institute, in spite of improved treatments available, several thousand people still die of malignant melanoma each year. The skin is the body’s largest organ and is directly exposed to external influences. In order to better protect it, the emphasis is on prevention.
Sunscreens need to be applied liberally and too much UV radiation must be avoided. Clothing that covers the body is better than sun creams. That is why UV protective textiles should be chosen when buying summer clothing. Modern UV protective textiles offer a high UV Protection Factor (UPF) of up to 80. However, the test standards used for the textile should also be taken into account. The UV STANDARD 801 has established itself. It offers effective prevention, as the textiles are also tested, inter alia, in a wet, stretched and used condition. With these testing methods, the UV Protection Factor (Ultraviolet Protection Factor = UPF) of a textile is ascertained in a worst-case scenario. It is suitable for various types of textiles, from swimwear to protective work clothing, right up to shade-providing textiles, such as sunshades, which protect human skin from harmful UV radiation.
