Sun-safe Clothing: FDA Approved as Medical Devices
by Diana Clarke
I'm a lucky, lucky man," says Shaun Hughes, President of Sun Precautions, Inc. "I shouldn't be here."
Eighteen years ago, at age 26, he was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Fortunately, the cancer was caught in time.
After the surgery, his doctor advised him to limit his exposure to the sun, but Hughes still wanted to spend time outdoors. Although he took precautions by wearing a sunscreen and a shirt, he discovered that a regular cotton T-shirt offered only a Sun protection Factor (SPF) of 7.
He searched around for attractive and comfortable clothing that would shield him from further sun damage.
There wasn't any.
Sun-safe clothes
So with the help of textile experts and dermatologists, he fashioned Solumbra Products, his own patented line of sun-safe, cool and sporty summer clothing for people with sun sensitive skin.
Today, his Everett, Washington Firm makes a line of sun-protective clothing that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has labeled his clothing "medical devices" and given Solumbra products an SPF of 30.
The sunscreening property of the clothing is provided by the fabric's tight weave. No chemical coating is added. The fabric itself blocks more than 97 percent of ultraviolet light, both UVA and UVB.
Solumbra fabric is as smooth as brushed cotton, and lightweight. In fact, a long-sleeve Solumbra shirt weighs 25 percent less than a typical short-sleeve shirt. The clothing is designed with meshed vents for good air circulation.
Solumbra products have been recommended by many doctors and are sold at medical centers. For more information about these fine products, you can visit Solumbra Products at
http://www.sunprecautions.com.
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Last modified: 07/28/03
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