Given the relentless beat of the sun across our island, it’s little wonder that Singapore typically records UV rates reaching the Very High and Extreme levels—daily. As recorded by the National Environment Agency (NEA), our UV Index scores are a stark reminder of why sun protection is so important. With excessive, unprotected exposure to the sun associated with harms from premature ageing to—far more seriously—skin cancer, there’s no longer any excuse for turning a blind eye to forms of sun protection.
Sunscreen is understandably a first line of defence, as is limiting one’s exposure to the sun and turning to coverings such as sunhats. However, it’s high time that the UV umbrella was also given worthy consideration. While the idea of shielding oneself from the sun’s rays this way may evoke images of a historical damsel, parasol in hand, the science is there: there’s enough evidence of the UV umbrella’s efficacy.
So, wherein lies the difference between a regular umbrella’s in-built protection and a UV umbrella’s specific benefits? Notably, UV umbrellas are manufactured with protectant substances to provide an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) against damaging utlraviolet rays. When perusing your options from the myriad choices out there, take some time to look into what you’re purchasing—the UPF offered by certain UV umbrellas is higher than others. And of course, like any other form of sun protection no UV umbrella is entirely foolproof—rather, combining their use with other tools in your sun protection arsenal including sunscreen and reduced sun exposure will give you the best results.
Below, take in Vogue Singapore’s curation of UV umbrellas to consider investing in—your skin will thank you for it:
