Does a UV treated face shield on a helmet protect the face or intensify the rays?
I am a female rancher in my 50's. I ride an ATV up to 4,000 miles each summer checking cattle and water tanks. My face gets wind burned and sun burned. Would a helmet with a UV filtering face shield help protect my skin against serious damage or do the face shields intensify the rays and make the damage worse? I want to minimize my skin cancer risk.
Dear Ali,
A helmet with a UV filtering face shield should help to protect your skin from the sun's damaging rays. Look for a filter that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and provides a 100% block - or as close to 100% as you can find. I also recommend you wear sun-protective clothing and a broad spectrum sunblock. The Skin Cancer Foundation web site lists clothing and sunblocks - as well as sunglasses, protective window films and other items - that have earned its Seal of Recommendation. You may also find it helpful to check out the sun safety articles that I and my fellow skincare expert, Sue Chung, have posted on Health Central's Skincare web site. Just click on our profiles and then click on "Read All My Posts" so that you can select the ones that are of interest to you.
Good luck!
Dr. Hema
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